Air Quality Management Subcommittee
June 27-28, 2006
Atlanta, GA
Meeting Notebook Table of Contents
Meeting Agenda
NARSTO Presentation
Team 1 Materials
Team 2 Materials
Next Steps Schedule
Draft Outline for Subcommittee Final Report (hand-out)
All materials included should be considered DRAFTS. These drafts are meant to
guide discussions of the AQM Subcommittee and do not represent decisions or
opinions made by the EPA, the CAAAC, or the AQM Subcommittee.
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Air Quality Management Subcommittee Meeting
June 27-28, 2006
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, June 27
8:30-8:45 Introductions and Welcome Greg Green and Pat Cummins
8:45 - 9:45 Science to Help Define the Problem and Set the Right Priorities: The next
NARSTO Science Assessment - The Technical Challenges (and Capabilities) of
a Multi-Pollutant Approach to Air Quality Management in an Accountability
Framework Jim Vickery
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-11:30 Team 1: Presentation of Recommendations
11:30-12:30 Lunch
12:30-2:00 Team 2: Presentation of Recommendations
2:00-2:15 Break
2:15-5:00 Integration of Maj or Recommendations
5:00 Adjourn
Wednesday, June 28
8:00-9:00 Continued Discussion on Integration of Major Recommendations
9:00-10:00 AQM Challenges
10:15-12:00 Continued Team Discussions
12:00-12:30 Next Steps
12:30 Adjourn
For members not able to attend in person, there is a conference line for both days of the meeting
Conference Call Number: (866) 299-3188
Conference Code: 2025641663
HOTEL INFORMATION
Ritz-Carlton Atlanta
181 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
Reservations: (404) 659-0400 or (800) 241-3333
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The Next NARSTO Science
Assessment:
Science to Help Define the Problem and
Set the Right Priorities
CAAAC, Air Quality Management Subcommittee
June 26, 2006
Atlanta, GA
Jim Vickery, Public Sector Co-Chair
William T. Pennell, NARSTO Management Coordinator
NARSTO,
who we are and what we do
RETHINKING
THE OZONE PROBLEM
IN URBAN AND REGIONAL
AIR POLLUTION
| An Assessment of Troposf
Ozone Pollution
\ A North American Pefspec
Particulate Matter Science
for Policy Makers 1^7"
(And*
Piscr McMrnrp ' iVarjorjc Sbcpjxni * Udms Vicktrr
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NARSTO Sponsoring Members
FEDERAL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (ORD & OAR), DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (NOAA),
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION,
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY,
ENVIRONMENT CANADA,
INSTITUTO NACIONAL de ECOLOGIA, INSTITUTO MEXICO del PETROLEO
SUBNATIONAL GOVT ORGANIZATIONS
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, LAKE MICHIGAN AIR DIRECTORS CONSORTIUM,
MIDATLANTIC REGIONAL AIR MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY, NORTHEAST STATES FOR COORDINATED AIR USE MANAGEMENT, TEXAS
COMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY,
ONTARIO MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT
PRIVATE INDUSTRY
AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE, CHEMICAL SPECIALTIES MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION,
COORDINATING RESEARCH COUNCIL, DUNN-EDWARDS COMPANY, E.I. DUPONT de NEMOURS &
COMPANY, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
UTILITIES
EDISON ELECTRIC INSTITUTE, ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SOUTHERN COMPANY
NARSTO Multi-Pollutant
¦ The proposal: The Technical Challenges of a Multi-
Pollutant Approach to Managing Air Quality Under an
Accountability Framework: A NARSTO Assessment
¦ Response to 2005 Executive Assembly directive
¦ Small working group reviewed / considered NARSTO
multi-pollutant activity during 2005
¦ Proposal submitted to the Executive Steering
Committee (ESC) in December, 2005
¦ Proposal was modified per ESC comments
"Let's hear from the potential users"
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Why we're doing this now
2004 2004
National Research Council themes:
- Integrated, multi-pollutant programs and research
- Accountability
5
Air Quality Management
Expanding Air Accountability
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National/Regional Rules: multi-pollutant
sector approaches
Regional controls for major stationary sources
- The NOx SIP call
- The Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and Clean Air
Mercury Rule (CAMR) (S02, NOx, Hg)
National rules for mobile sources
- Tier 2 motor vehicle standards (voc, nox, S02)
- Heavy duty on-road diesel standards (PM, nox. S02)
- Off road diesel standards (PM, nox. S02)
State and local controls
- PM and Ozone SIPs under NAAQS implementation
Big National reductions via CAIR
Source: EPA
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Big regional impacts via NOx SIP Call
EGU NOx Tons Reduced
Tons Reduction
| | -33,000-0
n
~
m 74,000- 110,000
0- 27,000
28,000-73,000
Ozone decline downwind of major EGU NOx emissions reductions after 2002
Average rate of decline in ozone between 1997 and 2002 is 1.1%/year.
Average rate of decline in ozone between 2002 and 2004 is 3.1%/year.
9
Decline in "Seasonal Average"
8-Hour Daily Maximum Ozone
Met. Adj.
CAIR and other programs greatly reduce transported ozone and
Particle Pollution: residual nonattainment in the East -- 2015
Ozone and Fine Particle Nonattainment
Areas (March 2005)
Projected Nonattainment Areas in 2015 after Reductions
from CAIR and Existing Clean Air Act Programs
Nonattainment areas for
8-hour ozone pollution only
Nonattainment areas for
fine particle pollution only
I Nonattainment areas for
' both 8-hour ozone
and fine particle pollution
These areas are a priority for
PM/03 programs - today
Projections concerning future levels of air pollution in specific geographic
locations were estimated using the best scientific models available. They are
estimations, however, and should be characterized as such in any description.
Actual results may vary significantly if any of the factors that influence air
quality differ from the assumed values used in the projections shown here.
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Local Intervention
Impacts
Utah Valley: A Natural Experiment
Dublin Black Smoke
m 1 BxxCtdSdes
|C
19B5 1SEE 19B7 1988
The Dublin Study: Evaluating the Impact
of Air Pollution Regulation
Updated Harvard Six
Cities Study
5,
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T WH S
Pt
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NARSTO Contribution
in the AQM Context
AQM Tl- Gl- Rl: Improve accuracy, robustness, and availability of
environmental and health data
¦ air quality data
¦ emission inventories and air quality modeling
¦ external partners
AQM Tl- Gl- R2: Improve the priority setting process (a relative risk, multi-
pollutant approach)
¦ multi-pollutant air quality plan
¦ air quality health trends report
¦ report on links of air quality and ecosystem health
¦ new science to policy mechanism
AQM Tl- Gl- R3: Improve accountability
¦ air accountability framework
¦ indicators
¦ progress evaluation
AQM Tl- G2- R2: Move from a single pollutant approach to an integrated,
multiple pollutant approach
¦ framework for an AQMP
¦ tools
¦ new/ improved science
¦ pilots, guidance, tools and data
AQM Tl- G3: Coordinate with other programs such as land use, energy,
transportation and climate.
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Air Quality Manager Needs
(A NARSTO View)
¦ In Canada and the U.S.
¦ Means to measure progress toward air
quality, public health and environmental goals
¦ Means to be reassured that the goals are the
right ones
¦ Means to determine adjustments to existing
emissions controls if progress / goals are not
sufficient
¦ In Mexico
¦ Information for policy / program development
Scope of Proposed Next
NARSTO will perform an assessment of the
technical challenges (including the
adequacy of the data, measurement and
modeling tools) and implications of a multi-
pollutant approach to managing air quality
under an accountability framework.
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Approach
Direction of Assessment Inquiry
Regulatory
action
Source emissions:
criteria pollutants,
precursors, and HAPs
Ambient AQ:
precursor and/or
intermediate and
target species.
Personal
Human
Exposure
and Dose
effects
T
Deposition
Accountability Framework
Adopted from NRC and HEI
T
Ecosystem
effects
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Charge Statement
¦ Charge 1: In time to lay the foundations for a 2010
assessment of improvements in human health and
ecological conditions,
¦ Air quality scientists will work with exposure, health and
ecosystem scientists to identify the air quality information
needed to associate:
¦ Air quality composition and concentration with health and
environmental conditions, and
¦ Source emissions with health and ecosystem effects.
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Charge Statement - cont'd
¦ Charge 2: In time to lay the technical foundation for
a 2010 assessment of progress in air quality
improvement,
¦ Identify the technical challenges to and the capabilities of
monitoring networks and modeling systems to provide the
information needed to understand effects of air quality on
human and ecosystem health, including the technical
challenges of:
¦ Quantifying air quality changes of criteria, hazardous and
precursor pollutants,
¦ Determining the source emissions and meteorological factors
responsible for observed air quality changes, ancf
¦ Understanding the relationships between climate change and
air quality.
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Principal Tasks of the
1. Identify health and exposure related air accountability assessment
needs
Products
¦ Prioritized technical monitoring and source apportionment needs from the health and
exposure community
¦ Atmospheric sciences assessment of the capabilities for meeting these needs
¦ Identified course of action to fill the gaps
2. Identify ecosystem related air accountability assessment needs
Products
¦ Prioritized technical monitoring and source apportionment needs from the ecosystem
science community
¦ Atmospheric sciences assessment of the capabilities for meeting these needs
¦ Identified course of action to fill the gaps
3. Identify air quality accountability assessment data requirements,
tools, and procedures
Products
¦ Combined set of accountability needs
¦ Assessment of the capabilities for meeting these needs
¦ Recommendations for strengthening these capabilities
¦ Description of the activities required to perform multi-pollutant assessments of progress in
meeting air quality, public health, and environmental goals
4. Produce assessment synthesis
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Task 1 Identify Health and Exposure
Related Air Accountability Assessment Needs
¦ Workshop(s) involving human exposure
scientists, nealth scientists, and NARSTO
air quality scientists.
¦ What is needed to
¦ Associate health and exposure changes with air quality and emission
changes
¦ Associate hazardous components and mixtures of air pollution and their
sources, personal exposures and specific health effects
(needed to evaluate standards)
¦ NARSTO AQ scientists assess the
capabilities of monitoring and modeling to
address these needs
Task 1 Identify Health and Exposure
Related Air Accountability Assessment Needs
¦ Products
¦ Prioritized technical monitoring and source
apportionment needs from the health and
exposure community
¦ Atmospheric sciences assessment of the
capabilities for meeting these needs
¦ Identified course of action to fill the gaps
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Task 2 Identify Ecosystem Related Air
Accountability Assessment Needs
¦ Workshop(s) involving ecosystem scientists and
NARSTO air quality scientists.
¦ What is needed to
¦ Associate ecosystem changes with air quality,
deposition, and emission changes
¦ Investigate the effects/consequences of acid
deposition, ozone exposure, and mercury deposition
on ecosystems
(also needed for evaluating standards)
¦ NARSTO AQ scientists assess the capabilities of
monitoring and modeling to address these needs
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Task 2 Identify Ecosystem Related Air
Accountability Assessment Needs
¦ Products
¦ Prioritized technical monitoring and source
apportionment needs from the ecosystem
science community
¦ Atmospheric sciences assessment of the
capabilities for meeting these needs
¦ Identified course of action to fill the gaps
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Task 3 Identify Air Quality Accountability
Assessment Data Requirements, Tools, and
¦ Assess challenges of meeting Charge 2.
Principally,
¦ Quantify air quality changes of criteria, hazardous and
precursor pollutants
¦ Account for the effects of meteorology
¦ Account for the potential effects of climate change (or
consequences for climate policy)
¦ Determine the contributing source emission changes
¦ Relationship of emission changes to AQ management actions
¦ Contribution of transported pollutants to local changes and
the contribution of local emissions to long range transport
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Task 3 Identify Air Quality Accountability
Assessment Data Requirements, Tools, and
Conduct an integrated assessment of the technical
challenges in meeting all air quality management
accountability needs.
¦ Products
¦ Combined set of accountability needs
¦ Assessment of the capabilities for meeting these needs
¦ Recommendations for strengthening these capabilities
¦ Description of the activities required to perform multi-pollutant
assessments of progress in meeting air quality, public health,
and environmental goals
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Next Steps / Timetable
¦ Endorsement by Executive Assembly
¦ May 9-10
¦ Mini-Scoping Workshop
¦ September 25-26 in RTP, NC
¦ Selection of Assessment Team
¦ June-Oct
¦ Assessment begins
. Fall, 2006
¦ Assessment Complete
¦ End of Year, 2008
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Thoughts ?
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Contribution to Client Activities:
Findings from 2005 EPA Survey
ORD (NARSTO?) contributes greatly to clients' ability
to improve the scientific foundation of rules and
regulations and to increase their knowledge of
scientific principles
The scientific tools and or information provided by
ORD (NARSTO?) are very useful to clients in
completing their work
ORD's (NARSTO's?) contribution is less significant in
clients' interactions with their own clients/stakeholders
Analysts find ORD's (NARSTO's?) contribution to be
more significant than managers, particularly in the
application of scientific tools and information
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Building a scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions
Contribution to Client
Actions/Decisions:
The majority of clients report that at least half of their office's
major actions or decisions rely on ORD (NARSTO?) science,
and nearly all clients indicated that the foundation of this
science was excellent.
The majority of clients reported that ORD (NARSTO?) made
a "substantial" or "critical" contribution to the quality of the
office's major actions or decisions.
For important science-supported decisions or actions, ORD
(NARSTO?) science was used over 90% of the time.
Analysts rely more heavily than managers on ORD
(NARSTO?) science for actions and decisions.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Building a scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions
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Conclusions
Overall, clients are very satisfied with
the scientific tools and information
developed by ORD (NARSTO?) and
with efforts to assist clients in applying
ORD (NARSTO?) science.
ORD's (NARSTO?) scientific tools and
information provide important support for
clients' activities, actions, and decisions.
NARSTO Contribution in the AQM Context
AQM T1- G1- R1: Improve accuracy, robustness, and availability of environmental and
health data to enable more complete characterization of air quality, emissions, and environmental
and health outcomes and to facilitate the assessment and characterization of relative risks.
- Improve air quality data
- Fill gaps in emission inventories and air quality modeling
- Improve information on health and ecosystem endpoints
- Improve coordination/ communication between EPA and external partners
- Improve the collection of control and cost data
AQM T1- G1- R2: Improve the priority setting process by creating mechanisms to
systematically realign resources and regulatory focus toward areas of greatest health and
environmental risk, (a relative risk, Multi-pollutant approach)
- Develop a comprehensive, multipollutant air quality plan and review/update every 5 years
- Use the updated information to in developing national regulatory priorities
- EPA and CDC working with S/L/T should produce an air quality health trends report every
5 years
- EPA, Federal Land Managers, others should produce a report on links of air quality and
ecosystem health every 5 years
- Improve the link from improved science to improved policy through a new science to policy
mechanism
- EPA and States should focus on multipollutant approaches
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NARSTO Contribution in the AQM Context
cont.
AQM T1- G1- R3: Improve accountability by systematically monitoring progress and evaluating
results, working to ensure that data collection is meaningful and that feedback loops exist to
ensure that actual environmental results inform the future allocation of resources and the
establishment of priorities.
- Adjust the NAAQS review process to be more timely and efficient
- EPA in close consultation with the States should develop an air accountability framework
providing an overarching structure for priority setting
- EPA should work with CDC and others to improve indicators
- EPA and S/L/T should evaluate the progress being made under various programs
AQM T1- G2- R2: EPA, States, local governments, and Tribes should move from a single
pollutant approach to an integrated, multiple pollutant approach to managing air quality
through the creation of an AQMP as a comprehensive air quality management plan updated every
5-10 years
- Develop a framework for an AQMP, identifying legislative changes
- Transition to an AQMP approach with tools and incentives
- Assess period of NAAQS reviews correlating them with new/ improved science
- Assess option of developing NAAQS in parallel
- Continue support of multipollutant control strategies with pilots, guidance, tools and data
- Use AQMP Phase I to target emissions reductions
- Determine approaches for targeted, expeditious, greatest overall benefit emissions
reductions
AQM T1- G3: Coordinate with other programs such as land use, energy, transportation and
climate. 31
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June 27-28, 2006 AQM Subcommittee Meeting
Atlanta, GA
Team 1 Table of Contents
Issue Group 1: Defining the Problem and Setting the Right Priorities
Recommendation 1: Improve accuracy, robustness, and availability of
environmental and health data to enable more complete characterization
of air quality, emissions, and environmental and health outcomes and to
facilitate the assessment and characterization of relative risks.
Recommendation 2: Improve the priority setting process by creating
mechanisms to systematically realign resources and regulatory focus
toward areas of greatest health and environmental risk.
Recommendation 3: Improve accountability by systematically monitoring
progress and evaluating results, working to ensure that data collection is
meaningful and that feedback loops exist to ensure that actual
environmental results inform the future allocation of resources and the
establishment of priorities.
Issue Group 2: Air Quality Planning Process
Recommendation 1: Comprehensive Air Quality Management Planning
Recommendation 2: Reasonable Performance Levels
Recommendation 3: Continuous Improvement
Recommendation 4: Local Air Quality Planning
Recommendation 5: Boundaries
Recommendation 6: Episodic Control Measures
Issue Group 3: Proposed Coordination Strategies for Air Quality,
Land Use, Energy, Transportation and Climate
RECOMMENDATION 1: THE AQM PROCESS SHOULD SUPPORT
TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE SCENARIO PLANNING AT
THE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL, TRIBAL AND LOCAL LEVELS
AND OTHER MEANS TO IDENTIFY EMISSIONS REDUCTION
OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVE TRIBAL AND LOCAL
ENGAGEMENT.
RECOMMENDATION 2: THE AQM PROCESS SHOULD INCLUDE
INCENTIVES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MORE
FLEXIBLE FORMS OF CREDIT, REGULATORY INCENTIVES AND
ECONOMIC INCENTIVES) FOR VOLUNTARY AND INNOVATIVE
LAND USE, ENERGY, AND TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES
OR APPROACHES.
These papers should be considered DRAFTS. These drafts are meant to guide
discussions of the AQM Subcommittee and do not represent decisions or opinions
made by the EPA, the CAAAC, or the AQM Subcommittee.
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RECOMMENDATION 3: AN INTER-AGENCY LIAISON GROUP
SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED WITH EPA AND OTHER FEDERAL
AGENCIES (e.g., FAA, HUD, DOE, NRC, FERC, USDA, CDC, DOI
AND DOT) TO EXPLORE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
COORDINATING LAND USE, ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION,
GREENHOUSE GAS AND AIR QUALITY GOALS.
RECOMMENDATION 4: DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON
REDUCING PUBLIC DEMAND FOR POLLUTING ACTIVITIES,
ESPECIALLY NONESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES. SUCH PROGRAMS
COULD INCLUDE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR ENCOURAGING
USE OF LOWER-POLLUTING ACTIVITIES, REDUCTION
PROGRAMS, AND TAX AND USE RESTRICTIONS.
RECOMMENDATION 5: ANALYZING EXISTING LAWS TO
DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN BE USED TO
ENCOURAGE POLLUTION PREVENTION, ENERGY EFFICIENCY
AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AS THEY MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN
REDUCING EMISSIONS.
RECOMMENDATION 6: EPA SHOULD WORK WITH STATE AIR
AND ENERGY ORGANIZATIONS, TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND
REGIONAL AIR QUALITY PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS TO
OVERCOME POTENTIAL BARRIERS TO CLEAN ENERGY/AIR
QUALITY INTEGRATION.
RECOMMENDATION 7: TAKING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO
ACCOUNT IN AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
These papers should be considered DRAFTS. These drafts are meant to guide
discussions of the AQM Subcommittee and do not represent decisions or opinions
made by the EPA, the CAAAC, or the AQM Subcommittee.
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Defining the Problem and Setting the Right Priorities
Team 1 Group 1
Recommendation #1
June 19, 2006
Recommendation: Improve accuracy, robustness, and availability of environmental and
health data to enable more complete characterization of air quality, emissions, and
environmental and health outcomes and to facilitate the assessment and characterization
of relative risks.
Background/Explanation: In order to improve the air quality management system's
ability to focus on the most important priorities, data needs to be continuously improved.
Science is always improving our understanding of air pollution and its impacts on public
health and the environment. Several of these recommendations are carried over or
expansions of recommendation made in Phase 1 AQM report.
NAS Recommendation Addressed: Recommendation 1: Strengthen Scientific and
Technical Capacity
Scenario: Mixed - Scenario 1 unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Actions:
1. Improve air quality data continually improve air quality monitoring network to
collect data on pollutants of concern, in areas of concern:
Action 1. EPA has already proposed to work with states, locals, tribes and other
stakeholders to review the national monitoring system. EPA should revise
monitoring requirements as appropriate and in as timely a manner as possible to
allow states to shift resources in line with results of review.
Action 2. EPA should provide better outreach and establish a category of
monitoring devices (or practices) that can be used for research, informational,
policy-setting, and public information purposes but will not be used to set
nonattainment boundaries or bring other regulatory programs into play and work
with states, locals, tribes and other stakeholders. (Scenario 2 and 3)
Action 3. EPA, in partnership with other Federal agencies, should develop a more
integrated observation strategy that addresses gaps in rural and elevated
observations critical to supporting ecosystem, regional and intercontinental
transport assessments. As part of this strategy, the incorporation of emerging
environmental data sets from satellites, air quality forecasting and chemical data
assimilation (i.e., integration of models and observations) should be tasked as a
requisite for advancing air quality assessment capabilities over the next several
decades.
2. Fill gaps in emissions inventories and air quality modeling:
Action 4. Target resources towards the improvement, demonstration and
development of CEMS technology to make it more cost-effective and more
accurate, especially for appropriate emission sources for which CEMS technology
is not currently available, accurate or within reasonable costs. EPA should
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encourage CEMS or alternate emission estimations technology for the pollutant of
interest (not a surrogate) as the default compliance monitoring technology using
incentives for future rules. This may not be applicable or appropriate for smaller
areas sources. (Scenario 2)
Action 5. EPA should develop adequate emissions infrastructure so emissions
estimates can be shared across stakeholders (S/L/T and industry). Focus should
be on improving information and emission numbers in inventory.
Action 6. States should be required to provide multipollutant (including HAPs)
and speciated information as available to the National Emission Inventory. Some
states already provide or collect this information, but not all.
Action 7. Emphasize the use of air quality models to evaluate current conditions
as well as project future scenarios, and then evaluate those results for corrections
to models or approaches if projections not met. Models provide a needed
complement to data in accountability assessments in which reconstructed
modeling of past years allows for checking original assumptions and success of
rule implementation. In addition, models should be used in combinations with
observations to evaluate and improve emissions estimates through inverse
modeling procedures.
Action 8. Develop the needed interfaces between air quality and watershed and
terrestrial models to better link air program rules with deposition related impacts
on ecosystems.
Action 9. Use current air quality models to quantify co-benefits across multiple
pollutant categories, recognizing the limitations (due to scarcity) of ambient data
to address interactions of HAPs with PM and ozone.
Action 10. Integrate models and ambient data to provide more robust, spatially,
temporally and compositionally enhanced air quality surfaces for accountability,
regulatory, ecosystem and health assessments.
3. Improve information on health and ecosystem endpoints and relative risk of
exposure to single and multiple pollutants, at the individual, population, and ecosystem
levels.
Action 11. EPA should focus on improving methodologies to address uncertainty
(e.g., uncertainties in extrapolating high to low dose exposures, from animal
studies to human impacts, or laboratory to field).
Action 12. EPA and other Agencies should redesign research and grant programs
to encourage the timely targeting of key issues and more flexibility to shift
resources in the face of new problems or priorities.
Action 13. EPA should work with CDC, S/L/Ts, other agencies and stakeholders
to improve indicators that can be used to assess the impact of changes in air
quality on public health and ecosystem health. These agencies should encourage
research in areas that will help develop indicators to assess the success of various
programs.
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4. Improve coordination and communication between EPA and external partners,
including health agencies, academic institutions, and the medical community.
Action 14. States, Tribes, EPA and CDC should periodically hold national and/or
regional joint environmental health summits on a regular schedule to evaluate
current priorities and identify new issues.
Action 15. States, Tribes, EPA, Federal Land Managers, and other agencies,
should periodically hold national and/or regional joint ecosystem health summits
on a regular schedule to evaluate current priorities and identify new issues.
Action 16. S/L/T environmental agencies should work actively to increase
coordination with appropriate health agencies.
Action 17. State health agencies should be involved in developing State air
quality management plans. (Scenario 2)
Action 18. EPA should improve the availability of reports, studies and data in
whatever format on the impacts of air pollution and air pollution control programs
on health, agriculture and ecosystem quality to S/L/T agencies, other stakeholders
and the public. This could include a library established on an EPA webpage, a
regular listing of recent studies, links to other internet sources of information such
as STAPPA/ALAPCO.
Implementation: Many of these actions are already in progress; however some will
require additional effort. The primary constraint is resources both funding and FTE for
actions such as inventories, modeling and monitoring.
Benefits: Improved air quality data and information on which to base decisions related
to control strategies, evaluate the results of implemented strategies and make changes as
needed to improve air quality resulting in improved public health and health of the
environment. In addition, improved communication with multiple parties to ensure that
information is shared and used to enhance program results.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to: all
Tools Needed: to be incorporated
Priority: High
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Defining the Problem and Setting the Right Priorities
Team 1 Group 1
Recommendation #2
June 19, 2006
Recommendation: Improve the priority setting process by creating mechanisms to
systematically realign resources and regulatory focus toward areas of greatest health and
environmental risk.
Background/Explanation: The air quality management system has been operating in a
"stovepipe" process for a while, and in order to address the air quality issues of the future
needs to realign to an approach which more effectively addressed the interaction of
multiple pollutants. While progress has been made in addressing some multistate
transport of air pollution, transport issues still need to be identified and proactively
addressed. Urban areas also have a mix of emissions which may be more appropriately
addressed in a multipollutant fashion than individually.
Problem/Challenges Addressed:
The need to be able to address new priorities promptly
Identification and assessment of most significant exposures and problems
Integration of a multipollutant approach
NAS Recommendation Addressed: Recommendation 1. Strengthen Scientific and
Technical Capacity; Recommendation 2. Expand National and Multistate Control
Strategies; Recommendation 3. Transform the SIP process; Recommendation 4. Develop
Integrated Program for Hazardous Air Pollutants; and Recommendation 5. Enhance
Protection of Ecosystems and Public Welfare
Scenario: Noted after each recommendation - primarily Scenario 1 with a few
exceptions.
Recommended Actions:
Action 1. EPA should use the updated information provided by the S/L/Ts in
their air quality management planning process to develop national regulatory
priorities. EPA should also, through modeling and monitoring, help define
problems that occur on a national scale which can be used to support S/L/T plans.
(Scenario 1)
Action 2. EPA and the CDC working with S/L/T should produce an Air Quality
Health Trends report that links changes in ambient air quality to health data on a
5-year cycle, using the best available information and recognizing the limitations
of those data. (Scenario 1)
Action 3. EPA, the Federal Land Managers, and other agencies, working with
S/L/T should report on links between ambient air quality and the "health" quality
of ecosystems on a 5-year cycle, using the best available information and
recognizing the limitations of those data. (Scenario 1)
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Action 4. EPA and other stakeholders should improve the link from improved
science to improved policy by developing new mechanisms to encourage more
rapid adjustment of policy priorities in the face of new scientific information than
has been done historically. EPA should seek new incentives and hammers to
encourage the realignment of regulatory priorities and implementation efforts to
deal with the highest priority problems, both within the agency and among States.
What are the most effective approaches - command and control versus incentives
or something else? (Scenario3)
Implementation: The primary obstacle to implementation will be resources for
developing outputs either reports or model information. There will be difficulty for many
states to develop overall air quality management plans without some federal regulatory
requirement to do such.
Benefits:
Will produce a more comprehensive approach to improving air quality than the
stovepipe approach taken now, as pollutant interactions will be considered more
Will allow S/L/T to more quickly shift resources to areas of higher priority
Improved communication with the public on the status of health and the
ecosystem as a result of air quality impacts
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to: All
Tools Needed:
Will require improved modeling and monitoring for integrated pollutant
evaluations.
Will require toolbox of incentives or approaches to encourage realignment of
program priorities as needed
Priority: High
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Defining the Problem and Setting the Right Priorities
Recommendation #3
Team 1 Group 3
June 19, 2006
Recommendation: Improve accountability by systematically monitoring progress and
evaluating results, working to ensure that data collection is meaningful and that feedback
loops exist to ensure that actual environmental results inform the future allocation of
resources and the establishment of priorities.
Background/Explanation: The air quality management system must include an ongoing
process for of accountability, evaluating progress and developing ways to make adjustments in
activities and resource allocation based on the success or failure of existing programs. Part of
this process involves continuing investments in strong technical tools, such as modeling,
monitoring, and emissions inventory capabilities, to ensure decisions are informed by the best
possible new information. AQM Phase 1 focused on needs in this area. In addition, it is
important to evaluate program performance relative to air quality and cost-benefit goals, and to
adjust program efforts and priorities according to the results of that assessment if and as
appropriate.
In the past, EPA has had difficulty shifting resources and programmatic momentum in the face of
new problems. For example, EPA first promulgated a fine particle ambient air quality standard
in 1997 (after a number of years of evaluating available health data that indicated fine particles
posed a more significant health risk than many other air pollutants of concern). However, areas
were not designated attainment or nonattainment until late 2004; SIPs aren't due until 2007; and
the first attainment deadlines are in 2009. Although fine particles pose, in most people's view, a
more serious and pervasive threat to public health than ozone, states continue to devote
substantial resources to ozoneindeed ozone is "first in line" because of statutory deadlines.
States are trying to employ sensible efforts to combine ozone and fine particle planning and
reduction programs, but the rigid statutory structure and deadlines make it difficult.
Even when targeted programs are developed to tackle a specific problem, measuring progress
accurately and assuring that we are actually reducing the targeted pollutants and improving
public and ecosystem health can be difficult. Current ways of measuring progress are slow and,
in some cases, not very accurate.1
In sum, the current system is extremely cumbersome when faced with new information about
health and air pollution priorities, no matter how compelling the evidence is (unless an issue
prompts congressional or state legislative action, in which case resources are diverted promptly,
maybe even precipitously).
Problems/challenges Addressed:
1 For example, compiling emissions inventory information to determine whether emission reduction programs have
been effective can take several years and, unless continuous emissions monitoring systems are available, may be
little more than estimates based on previously estimated emissions and updated economic activity predictions.
1
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1. The need to be able to address new priorities promptly.
2. Lack of confidence in the effectiveness of pollution reduction programs because of weak
accountability systems (and therefore potentially lack of support for continuing or future
programs)
NAS Recommendation Addressed: This recommendation is consistent with the following
recommendations of the NAS report:
1. Strengthen the scientific and technical capacity of the AQM system to assess risk and track
progress;
3. Transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-oriented,
multipollutant air quality management plan (AQMP) process;
4. Develop an integrated program for criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants; and 5.
Enhance protection of ecosystems and other aspects of public welfare.)
Scenario: Actions 1-2 listed below could be readily accomplished within the current structure of
the Clean Air Act and therefore fall in Scenario 1. Several of these recommended actions are
similar to, reinforce and continue some of the longer term recommendations made during Phase I
of the AQM process.
Recommended Actions:
Action 1: Make information available to CASAC, S/L/T and the public on an
ongoing basis about significant new research and studies on the health,
welfare and ecosystem impacts of air pollution. Provide a summary of
significant new studies annually to the CASAC and to the CAAAC. Publish a
summary in the Federal Register and prominently on the EPA website.
(Scenario 1)
Action 2: EPA and S/L/T should work to "design for accountability"
(Scenario 1):
o EPA and other stakeholders should embed metrics and schedules for
tracking progress within programs and rules at the time they are
initiated. Using these metrics, EPA and S/L/T should evaluate the
progress that is being made under various regulatory control programs,
by assessing compliance rates, actual reductions achieved, and in
practice cost-benefit analysis,
o EPA and other stakeholders should improve the collection of control
and cost data to facilitate analysis of both projected and actual
implementation costs for major regulations, as follows:
¦ EPA should develop an improved means of assessing actual
compliance technologies chosen and actual costs associated
with implementation of air pollution control efforts.
Prospective modeling to estimate costs in advance of new rules
should be matched with retrospective analysis of actual
implementation costs, so that results and impacts can be
assessed more accurately.
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¦ EPA and S/L/T should invest jointly in a complete, up-to-date
system to catalog pollution control technologies available and
the associated costs,
o EPA and other stakeholders should improve the assessment of the
benefitsboth prospective and retrospectiveassociated with
avoiding air pollution-related health impacts and premature mortality,
ecosystem damage, agricultural impacts and other public welfare
impacts.
o Pollution control information and cost-benefit calculations should be
combined with the information in EPA's Trends Reports to produce a
more comprehensive "accountability" assessment that tracks program
progress in a transparent and publicly accessible way.
o Initial accountability efforts should focus on major rules such as
CAIR, CAMR and mobile source rules, but accountability metrics
should ultimately be incorporated into all types of programs.
Implementation: The actions recommended here are resource-intensive and technically
challenging (or we would probably have done them by now), and could be seen as shifting
resources to accounting for progress instead of working on programs that will actually improve
air quality.
Benefits: The public will benefit if regulators are focusing on the more important public health
issues and have more flexibility to respond to newly developed information. Publicizing
significant new health and ecosystem studies on a regular basis will increase focus on public
health and environmental goals and should help streamline the review/revision of primary
standards and enable the development of meaningful secondary standards that will protect
ecosystems. Furthermore, ongoing efforts to track effectiveness and cost/benefit results of
programs should enhance program design and effectiveness in the future. Accountability is
always necessary to ensure public resources are being used to the greatest purpose, to assure
confidence in the need for current and future programs.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to: These recommendations do not apply to
specific sectors or categories.
Tools Needed: Tools include emissions inventory tools, tools to link health effects and air
pollution exposure, risk assessment tools, tools to collect real cost and benefit data from
implemented programs.
Priority: [ ]
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Comprehensive Air Quality Management Planning
Recommendation #1
Team 1, Group 2
June 19, 2006
Recommendation:
To improve the AQM process, EPA, States, local governments, and Tribes should move from a single pollutant
approach to an integrated, multiple pollutant approach to managing air quality through creation of a comprehensive
air quality management plan (comprehensive AQMP). The AQMP would be a statewide plan to address air pollutants
in an integrated manner, including attainment and maintenance of the NAAQS, sector-based reductions of HAPs and
criteria pollutants, visibility and ecosystem protection, and local environmental issues within a State. For a true multi-
pollutant approach, all issues that relate to air quality (e.g., energy policy, climate change, transportation, and land
use) would need to be addressed in the AQMP. The goal would be to create a comprehensive plan that is multi-
pollutant-based and which addresses all of the critical air pollution issues within a State, sets priorities, and provides
an overall plan.
This recommendation would be implemented in two phases, to evolve the SIP to a Comprehensive AQMP that would
still meet all of the SIP requirements. In Phase 1 (Scenario 1/2), the AQMP would act as an umbrella document, with
no CAA amendments needed; in Phase 2 (Scenario 3), the AQMP would be a comprehensive, integrated plan for
addressing all critical air pollution issues within a State, with CAA amendments needed. The AQMP would be
updated on a fixed schedule (e.g., 7 years).1 Provisions would be established for updating the AQMP to address
NAAQS revisions. The AQMP would then form the basis for creating multi-state/regional AQMPs in the future.
Background/Explanation:
The CAA currently takes a single pollutant approach for criteria pollutants (through the NAAQS) and a source sector-
based approach to HAPs (through the NESHAPs). This approach can result in the selection of control
strategies/technologies that cause disbenefits (i.e., increases in emissions of other pollutants). Though the current
CAA has requirements that make a multi-pollutant planning approach difficult (e.g., varying attainment dates), a
multi-pollutant approach to air quality management could offer many advantages. These may include: 1) reaching
attainment in a more cost-effective, efficient way, while getting greater overall reductions of pollutants; 2) optimizing
the mix of control measures for multiple pollutants, thus avoiding control measures that, while beneficial in reducing
one pollutant, may result in increases in others; 3) making better use of limited Federal, State, local, and Tribal
resources, and those of the regulated community, for improving air quality; 4) providing a more predictable and
manageable air quality planning process than the current SIP process; and, 5) making it easier and less expensive for
potentially affected sources to plan installation of controls and/or process changes, rather than having to install
controls in a piece-meal fashion.
Problems/Challenges Addressed:
1 The process for implementing the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS will take approximately 11 years (from NAAQS promulgation in 1997 to SIP
submission in 2008). Table 1 provides a comparison of the timing for the SIP approach versus example Phase 1 & Phase 2 approaches.
1
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There are two fundamental problems with the existing system. First, the process of multiple SIPs being developed on
different schedules but in the same general timeframe creates very difficult management and resource problems for
States and Tribes. With a consolidated and comprehensive AQMP for all air quality related issues developed for the
whole state on one fixed schedule, there would be significant economies of scale for resources and result in a more
through plan. Secondly, State, local, and Tribal agencies continue to struggle to meet national ambient air quality
standards, and standards continue to be tightened. National, regional, and local emission controls have been required
on many sources of pollution but local impacts still occur from nearby sources, and regional impacts are also felt as
pollutants are transported long distances.
This recommendation suggests ways to accomplish the goal of reducing emissions of air pollutants more effectively
and efficiently, in order to protect human health and ecosystems.
NAS Recommendations Addressed:
This recommendation addresses NAS recommendations 3, 4, and 5, and is more specific than NAS recommendations
3 and 4.
Recommendation 3: Transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-oriented,
multi-pollutant air quality management plan (AQMP) process.
Recommendation 4: Develop an integrated program for criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants.
Recommendation 5: Enhance protection of ecosystems and other aspects of public welfare.
Scenario(s):
This recommendation provides a more integrated approach to managing air quality than the current SIP-based system.
Recommended actions, in many cases, could fall into more than one of the three scenarios.
Recommended Actions :
Develop a framework for an AQMP [Scenario 3]
Transition to a comprehensive multi-pollutant air quality management planning (AQMP) approach.
[Scenarios 2 & 3]
Continue current efforts to support multi-pollutant control strategy development (e.g., Detroit Pilot Project,
development of guidance, development of tools and data (per Team 1, Group 1 recommendations)) [Scenarios
1,2,3]
Use findings of AQM Phase I assessments (e.g., assessments of identified sectors) to help target emission
reduction efforts [Scenarios 1, 2, 3]
Determine approaches for attaining targeted emission reductions expeditiously and with greatest overall
benefits [Scenarios 1, 2, 3]
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Implementation:
Some of the recommended actions, particularly those associated with Scenario 1, could be implemented readily.
Many of those associated with Scenarios 2 and 3 would require additional resources, and, in some cases, either legal
risks or legislative changes to the
CAA.
This recommendation provides a framework for the integration of many other recommendations.
Benefits:
This recommendation for a periodic AQMP will improve air quality management by creating an approach for
addressing air pollutants in an integrated manner, including attainment of the NAAQS, sector-based reductions of
HAPs and criteria pollutants, visibility protection, ecosystem protection, and local environmental issues within a
State. Issues that relate to air quality, including energy, climate change, transportation and land use could also be
included in the AQMP. There would be a significant improvement in the effectiveness of a State or Tribal air quality
program. Additionally, the current resource and management issues related to plan development and implementation
would be significantly improved under the periodic AQMP concept.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to:
This recommendation could apply to all mobile, stationary, and area sources and all sectors/categories.
Tools Needed:
Improved monitoring and modeling data and tools would assist the implementation of this recommendation (per
Team 1, Group 2 recommendations).
Priority: High
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Technical Supplement to Recommendation #2
Comprehensive Air Quality Management Planning
Background
This recommendation would be implemented in two phases, to evolve the SIP to a Comprehensive AQMP that would
still meet all of the SIP requirements.
Phase 1: AQMP as umbrella document that is multi-pollutant based and which addresses all critical air pollution
issues within a State. It would include:
individual/integrated SIPs (that considers HAP), as required by the CAA
sector-based reductions of HAP and criteria pollutants
plans for visibility protection (e.g., regional naze SIPs) and ecosystem protection
plans for addressing local environmental issues
plans to address issues that relate to air quality (e.g., energy policy, climate change, transportation, and
land use)
Phase 2: AQMP as a comprehensive plan that is multi-pollutant-based and which addresses all critical air pollution
issues within a State. It would include:
plans for attaining NAAQS, for obtaining sector-based reductions of HAP and criteria pollutants, for
addressing visibility (e.g., regional haze), and for protecting ecosystems
plans for addressing local environmental issues
plans to address issues that relate to air quality (e.g., energy policy, climate change, transportation, and
land use)
Issues that Need to be Addressed
General:
Discuss how to move toward State development of AQMPs though not a CAA requirement (e.g., by
providing economic incentives, other incentives, ...)
Regulatory coverage:
What federal requirements besides NAAQS and regional haze will be addressed in the AQMP (e.g.,
toxics, ecosystems)?
Need to address federal enforceability of AQMP (i.e., which parts are federally enforceable)
Need to encourage inclusion of programs to address regional, state, and local air quality issues even if
not required to meet federal mandates
How would the AQMP be best developed to be useful for multi-state planning?
Planning cycle:
When would the first AQMP be submitted? (examine opportunities under current CAA; see Table 1
for example timeline)
How often would AQMPs be updated (timing for major revisions and mid-period
correcti ons/revi ews)?
Discuss how to align SIP submittal dates, to be compatible with each other and with an AQMP
Discuss how the timing of SIP submittals might be changed to encourage an AQMP without
weakening requirements for attaining standards
Discuss need for changes, if any, to timing of NAAQS review process to facilitate AQMP.
How would NAAQS revisions and new information on health and other effects be adopted into
AQMP, with regard to AQMP planning schedule?
How would EPA SIP approval affect planning cycle?
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Table 1. Comparison of Timing for SIP Approach versus Example Phase 1 & 2 AQMP Approaches
Milestone
1997 PM2 5 NAAQS
1997 8-Hr 03 NAAQS
Comprehensive AQMP,
Phase 1 (Scenario 1/2)
PM/Ozone SIPs2
Comprehensive AQMP,
Phase 2 (Scenario 3)3
Effective date of Standard
Sept. 19974
Sept. 1997
Monitoring Data Used for State
Recommendations
2001-2003
2001-2003
2001-2003 PM2.5
2001-2003 Ozone
2001-2003 PM2.5
2001-2003 Ozone
State recommendations to EPA
Feb. 2004
July 2003
July 2003 Ozone
Feb. 2004 PM2 5
July 2003 Ozone
Feb. 2004 PM2 5
Effective Date of Designations
April 20055
June 2004
April 2005 PM2 5
June 2004 Ozone
April 2005 PM2 5
June 2004 Ozone
SIPs due
Sept. 2006 CAIR
Dec. 2007 Reg. Haze
April 2008 PM2.56
Sept. 2006 CAIR
July 2007 Ozone
Sept. 2006 CAIR
Dec. 2007 Reg. Haze
July 2007 Ozone
April 2008 PM2 5
Not applicable in this
scenario
1st AQMP due
Dec. 20077
Dec. 2007s
2 Phase 1 (Scenario 1/2): Assumes a 7-yr fixed schedule, as an example. For this approach to be adopted, extensions on PM2 5 SIP submittal dates
and/or incentives for meeting the earlier PM2 5 SIP submittal dates for both PM2.5 and ozone SIPs would need to be given.
3 Phase 2 (Scenario 3): Issues need to resolved; this approach requires CAA amendments. See "Issues that Need to be Addressed for
Implementation of Recommendation" section (above).
For the current PM2 5 NAAQS, there will be an approximately 9-year interval (1997-2006) for the NAAQS review process rather than the 5-year
interval mandated by the CAA. The 2006 PM NAAQS promulgation date (Sept. 27, 2006) was set by consent decree.
5 EPA has up to 3 years to promulgate designations (State has up to 1 year of those 3 to submit list of areas to EPA). For PM2 5 designations, this
took 8 years from promulgation.
6 From PM2 5 NAAQS promulgation to SIP submission will be 11 years (1997-2008).
This date is based on a 7-yr interval that begins December 2007. This AQMP would incorporate joint/integrated SIPs for the PM2 5 NAAQS, 8-
Hr 02 NAAQS, CAIR, and regional haze, and also recognize potential NAAQS revisions.
8 This AQMP would include integrated implementation plans for the PM2 5 NAAQS, 8-Hr 02 NAAQS, CAIR, and regional haze, and also
recognize potential NAAQS revisions.
5
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Milestone
1997 PM2.s NAAQS
1997 8-Hr 03 NAAQS
Comprehensive AQMP,
Phase 1 (Scenario 1/2)
PM/Ozone SIPs2
Comprehensive AQMP,
Phase 2 (Scenario 3)3
Attainment Date
April 2010
June 2007 up to June
2024
April 2010 PM2 5
June 2007 up to
June 2024 Ozone
April 2010 PM2 5
June 2007 up to
June 2024 Ozone
Attainment Date with extension
Up to April 2015
Up to April 2015 PM2 5
Up to April 2015 PM2 5
2nd AQMP due
Dec. 2014
Dec. 2014
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Reasonable Performance Levels
A Recommendation to the Air Quality Management Subcommittee
Recommendation #2
Team 1, Group 2
June 12, 2006
I. What is the Reasonable Performance Level concept?
Over a period of time, all sources of air pollution will demonstrate that they are
achieving reasonable performance levels (RPLs) to control their emissions. The
form and substance of this concept will be developed with consideration of
applicable emission control regulations, technical feasibility, and costs as well as all
fuel, operational, and emission control options.
II. How will the RPL approach address issues raised in the National Research
Council of the National Academies report. Air Quality Management in the
United States. 2004?
Implementation of this concept will contribute towards addressing many challenges
and recommendations identified in the NRC report. These include:
A. Challenges. The RPL concept addresses six of the seven challenges noted in
the NRC report and summarized below:
1. Meeting new standards for fine particles, ozone, and regional haze.
2. Understanding and addressing risks from air toxics.
3. Addressing exposure to pollutants with no threshold exposure level below
which there are no adverse effects.
4. Mitigating pollution effects on minority and low income populations.
5. Enhancing understanding and protection of ecosystems.
6. Understanding and addressing multi-state and interstate transport of
pollutants.
B. Recommendations. The RPL concept addresses three of the four primary
committee recommendations and four of the five inter-related recommendations
noted in the NRC report and summarized below:
1. Integrate a multi-pollutant approach for controlling emissions with most
significant risks, develop an integrated program for criteria and hazardous air
Page 1 of 4
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pollutants, and transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and
collaborative performance-oriented multi-pollutant air quality management
plan.
2. Take an air-shed approach to controlling emissions at the local, multi-state,
national, and international level.
3. Emphasize results over process, create accountability, and dynamically
adjust and correct the system as data on progress are assessed.
4. Expand national and multi-state performance-oriented control strategies
including controlling unregulated and under-regulated sources, expanding use
of performance-oriented market-based multi-pollutant control strategies, and
enhance authority to identify and address multi-state and international
transport.
5. Enhance protection of ecosystems and other aspects of public welfare.
III. How will the RPL concept meet other goals?
A. Sustainability. Minimizing emissions is important to the current environmental
and economic health of every region of the country. Emissions should be
reduced to the extent practical so that human and ecosystem health is protected,
both for current and future generations. Achieving reasonable performance
levels will reduce exposure to harmful pollutants in the immediate areas of
emission sources as well as contribute to reductions of transported pollutants into
other areas.
B. Economic Vitality. Reductions in existing emissions and control of new
emissions will allow maximum flexibility to communities that are seeking to add to
their local economies through business recruitment and growth.
C. Achieving Basic Environmental Standards. Hazardous waste, solid waste, and
water programs have enforced minimum treatment and disposal requirements for
decades. Air pollution sources have been allowed to emit pollutants in an
uncontrolled or minimally controlled fashion in many areas if more stringent
regulations do not exist. This has resulted in large amounts of harmful pollution
being emitted, some of which impacts local areas and some of which impacts
regionally and nationally. There should be reasonable performance expectations
for all current and new emission sources.
IV. How would implementing the RPL concept impact sources?
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New and expanding sources not otherwise subject to reasonable emission control
mandates would be required to demonstrate that reasonable performance levels
have been achieved at start-up. Existing sources would be required to demonstrate
that reasonable performance levels have been achieved within a to-be-determined
timeframe after finalization of the RPL concept. Details of the implementation of the
RPL concept would be developed after careful consideration of options and
consultation with a wide range of stakeholders.
It is likely that a major portion of new and existing sources will already be subject to
emission control requirements that are equally or more stringent than the likely
levels of controls that would be required under the RPL concept.
V. What actions are needed to implement the RPL concept?
The Environmental Protection Agency will be responsible for reviewing existing
authorities to implement the RPL concept, if any exist. The presumption at this point
is that an amendment to the Clean Air Act would be required. If the presumption is
correct, EPA would then be required to promulgate rules to implement the RPL
concept. Over a specified timeframe, states would be required to adopt the RPL
concept into its SIP or AQMP system.
VI. What are the expected outcomes for the RPL concept?
Among the many benefits of successful implementation of the RPL concept will be
the following:
A. Reduced exposure to hazardous air pollutants.
B. Reduced exposure to criteria pollutants.
C. Improved local air quality as evidenced by reductions in the number and size of
nonattainment impacts.
D. Improved urban and rural visibility.
E. Reduced transport of pollutants and fewer challenges by downwind states of
upwind SIPs.
F. Enhancement of economic development possibilities through reductions in
existing and future pollutant levels.
G. Standardized expectations for all pollutant sources nation-wide.
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H. Multi-pollutant control opportunities for uncontrolled and under-controlled sources
in a single project.
VII. Conclusions.
The details of the reasonable performance level concept have not been developed.
A large number of options will need to be examined in the development of concept.
What is proposed here is believed to represent a sound concept. Readers are
encouraged to consider the validity of the proposal first, casting aside for a moment
advocacy positions. The challenge for the Air Quality Management Subcommittee is
to recognize the legitimacy of the proposal, if it can be determined to exist, and to
recommend a process and approach that is rational and reasonable for
implementing it.
Revised and presented for consideration to the Air Quality Management Subcommittee, Team 1, Group
2. June 12, 2006.
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CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Recommendation #3
AQM Subcommittee Team 1, Group 2
June 20, 2006
Recommendation
The AQM subcommittee recommends that a combination of options be considered and
implemented to achieve continuous emission improvements. Recommendations range from
voluntary programs at the local level to continuing a national program of command and
control emission standards. Recommendations include several options for strengthening and
enhancing various market-based programs to encourage continuous improvements. The
subgroup feels that a one-size-fits-all recommendation cannot be made and that multiple
programs should be pursued simultaneously.
Based on historical successes with market-based systems and the general preference of
businesses and individuals to control their own decisions, the subgroup feels it's important to
include where appropriate market-based incentive programs based on potential for
continuous improvement. Such programs include:
1. Public emissions reporting - similar to the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program to
apply public pressure for "cleaner" products,
2. traditional emissions cap and trade - especially for high growth industries,
3. emissions cap and trade with a continuously declining cap or allowance retirement,
4. emission fees (with revenues used to pay for other environmental initiatives),
5. emission fee system based on an industry average performance.
Additionally, the concept of Reasonable Performance Levels (RPL) (see related AQM
recommendation) could be applied in a way to achieve continuous improvement.
Background/Explanation
Current epidemiological studies are finding that health benefits for certain pollutants,
including ozone and PM2.5, continue to accumulate at a steady rate right down to ambient
concentrations of near zero. Therefore, there is a benefit to establishing a program that
encourages continuous improvement with respect to emission rates and ambient air pollution
concentrations. Benefits include improved public health, lower associated health care costs,
and an improved environment.
This form of continuous improvement (Type 1) is not a new concept. It exists as a
component of many state/tribal implementation plans (SIPs/TIPs) (e.g., reasonable further
progress requirements), cap-and-trade programs (e.g., where industries need to accommodate
increased production under a fixed cap), and in offset ratios set for certain nonattainment
areas. The concept of continuous improvement is also reflected in the regional haze
program, which seeks to reach natural visibility conditions by 2065, a goal that heavily relies
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AQMSubcommittee Team 1, Group2
Continuous Improvement Recommendation
6/22/2006
Page 2
on continuous emissions improvement. Technology development must be encouraged to
push towards continually lower emissions and more efficient operations as time progresses.
A second form of continuous improvement (Type 2) focuses on improving operational
efficiencies to be able to generate more electricity, produce more products, provide more
services, and accommodate more vehicles on the road without increasing air pollution
emissions. Systematic continuous improvements are needed to prevent economic and
business growth from being stymied. This type of focus on continuous improvement focuses
on maintaining current air quality levels while making room for additional economic growth.
The Clean Air Act (CAA), as it is currently written and implemented, relies heavily on
technology-based emission standards for reducing air pollutants to meet air quality goals.
Technology based emission standards have many positive attributes and can be credited with
most of the air quality achievements under the CAA to date. While some emissions sectors
would benefit from continued command and control, other sectors may benefit from more
progressive programs that create a self-driving market-based incentive toward continuous
improvements.
It should be noted that many of the options identified for continuous improvement require
some type of emissions measurements/estimations in order to gauge progress. In some cases
continuous emissions monitors (CEMS) have been developed, standardized, and are in-use.
However, other source types rely on emission factors that may or may not be suitable for
certain continuous improvement programs without further development.
Challenges Addressed
Provide mechanism(s) for achieving continuous emission reductions from all stationary,
mobile and area sources
Ensure continuous air quality improvement in all geographic regions
Provide incentives for on-going development and diffusion of new control technologies
and pollution prevention techniques
Create a flexible system that can accommodate changes in science and air quality
planning needs
NAS Recommendations Addressed
Controlling currently unregulated and under-regulated sources; expanding use of
performance-oriented, market-based (where appropriate) multi-pollutant control
strategies.
Transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-oriented,
multi-pollutant air quality management plan (AQMP).
- Enhance protection of ecosystems and other aspects of public welfare.
Scenario
1-3 depending on option
Recommendation Actions
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AQMSubcommittee Team 1, Group2
Continuous Improvement Recommendation
6/22/2006
Page 3
Options Reviewed:
A. Technology-based emissions standards (Type 2 of continuous improvement),
B. Emission standard glide-slopes(Types 1 and 2),
C. Cap and trade programs(Type 2),
D. Cap and trade programs with continuously declining caps (Types 1 and 2),
E. Ambient air quality standard glide-slopes (Types 1 and 2),
F. Voluntary improvement programs (type unknown),
G. Emission fee systems (Types 1 and 2),
H. Emission fee system based on industry average performance (Types 1 and 2),
I. State/tribe regulatory improvement systems (Types 1 and 2),
J. Emissions reporting - Similar to TRI (type unknown),
K. Reasonable Performance Levels (RPL) (Types 1 and 2).
Each of these options could be fine-tuned and applied to a wide variety of source categories,
although each application may present its own unique issues and implementation challenges.
There may be a number of additional viable options for promoting continuous
improvement with respect to air pollution emissions and ambient concentrations.
It is likely that a combination of options will ultimately provide the best approach. For
example, state/tribal improvement systems could be combined effectively with most of the
other options listed in this paper. Some approaches may work well for certain source
categories and not for others. In any event, it is the opinion of this subgroup that federal
guidance and/or technical support (with substantial state/tribe and stakeholder input) would
be needed to further develop and successfully employ those options which have not been
previously implemented on a significant scale.
Based on prior experience, the market-based options are particularly attractive because they
provide a continuous market-based incentive to reduce emissions. Moreover, rather than
relying on regulators to determine the best targets for further reductions, these options would
harness the ingenuity of thousands of industry scientists, process engineers, marketing
experts, environmental specialists, and others with intimate knowledge of each and every
facility, operation and product.
Implementation
Option C: Under emissions cap-and-allocation trading systems, regulators establish an
emissions target (a "cap") for a group of sources and a schedule for achieving that
target for a specific area and control period based on modeling and air quality
goals. Tons of emissions representing individual "shares" of the cap are then
allowed or "allocated" to each source. The source documents its actual emissions
over the control period and compares this to its "balance" of available allocations.
Compliance is demonstrated by showing actual emissions less than or equal to
allocations.
Emission cap and trading programs can create a continuous incentive to reduce
emissions. The ability to sell unused allowances, or save them for later use, gives
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Continuous Improvement Recommendation Page 4
all participating companies a powerful ongoing financial incentive to pursue cost-
effective emission reduction opportunities. In addition, companies in growing
industries have to continuously reduce their emissions (per unit of production) in
order to meet increased demand for their goods and services without exceeding
the cap.
A constant emissions cap provides for continuous improvement within the capped
sector whereby increasing product growth must be accommodated (Type 2).
Under some cap and trade programs, allowances can be retired at a certain rate in
order to also provide for continuous environmental improvement (Type 1).
Option D: Emission cap and trading programs with a declining cap create a continuous
incentive to reduce emissions. Sources subject to these programs must
demonstrate at the end of each reporting period that they hold a sufficient number
of emission allowances to cover their actual emissions. The ability to sell unused
allowances, or save them for later use, gives all participating companies a
powerful ongoing financial incentive to pursue cost-effective opportunities for
lowering their emissions. Beyond this, affected sources, collectively, must
anticipate and implement the measures needed to remain in compliance after each
incremental reduction in the cap.
A program for establishing a steady rate of declining caps could be established
through the retirement of trading allowances at a certain rate per year. The rate of
retirement, thus the rate of the declining cap, could be adjusted to capitalize on
major technological breakthroughs.
Option G: Emission fees create a continuous incentive to reduce emissions in order to lower
total fee payments over time. They spur emission reductions from all sources
and/or activities covered by the fee and encourage continuous improvement. Even
where the fee charged per unit of pollution is relatively modest, fee programs can
result in the collection of large sums of money. These funds can be (a) turned over
to the federal or state Treasury, (b) used to finance other initiatives designed to
improve air quality, such as diesel retrofit programs, or (c) returned in some
manner to manufacturers or consumers.
Option H\ Emission fees based on industry average performance or Industry Average
Emission Fees (IAEF) (such as Industry Average Performance System -IAPS) is
a competitive, market-based system that is self-governing for air pollution control
Sources in a given industry are charged a fee each based on the degree that their
emissions exceed their industry average. The fees can then be applied in a variety
of ways, including being applied to fund other air pollution control initiatives.
Dirtier than average sources have the incentive to reduce payments by updating
pollution controls or operational efficiencies based on economic factors pertinent
to them. This creates a continuous incentive for sources to reduce emissions.
The fee may be automatically increased if the targeted level is not achieved.
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Sources choose where, when, how much and through what means to reduce
emissions. Regulatory agencies focus on reviewing emission reports and receiving
and disbursing funds. In the absence of traditional "boom or bust" regulatory
cycles, capital for control technology innovation is less risky, development is
enhanced, and more new controls become cost-effective sooner. Over time, each
source that reduces emissions causes the overall average to drop, creating a self-
perpetuating continuous improvement dynamic.
IAPS is a hybrid approach where sources in a given industry are charged a fee
each year based on their emissions. The "pot" is refunded to the same sources, but
based on output. As a result, cleaner-than-average sources become net payees and
dirtier-than-average sources become net payers. This creates a continuous
incentive for sources to reduce emissions. Each year sources choose the cheaper
option: further reducing their emissions (and paying less into the "pot"), or paying
the per-ton fee for each ton they are currently emitting. A variation of this
program could involve applying some percentage of the collective "pot" into
funding other continuous improvement programs.
Option I: State and Tribal Programs could be developed to meet their own continuous
improvement needs based on their own interests and priorities. This could be done
on a completely voluntary basis (i.e., not much different from what exists today),
or under basic parameters set by federal regulations. Many of the other options
discussed in this paper could also be considered as state/tribe programs. States
and tribes may be in the best position to develop targeted programs for continuous
improvement.
Option J: Emissions Reporting systems could be developed similar to the Toxic Reporting
Inventory system where the public has access to the emission information related
to marketed products. Provided the results of the emissions reporting are easily
assessable, the public would be empowered to support or not support certain
products. It is envisioned that reporting could be provided on product labels and
on an accessible Internet site.
Benefits
Over time, manufacturing, energy generation, and the emissions of public commerce would
become more efficient and cost effective on a per unit basis while maintaining or improving
environmental and/or human health implications. Ideally, a combination of continuous
improvement approaches will reach each source sector and provide options to improve
operations at a reasonable cost. Certain market-based programs can provide enough pressure
for continuous improvement, but not so much as to exceed the existing state of technology.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to:
While some categories can be easily singled-out for initial implementation, all categories
should ultimately be included under at least one form of continuous improvement program.
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Some emission source types may lack enough of a clear-cut industry to reasonably apply a
market-based program. Such emission source-types may still require traditional command
and control programs in order to achieve continuous improvement.
Tools Needed
[Place holder for Team 2 insert]
Many of the options identified for continuous improvement require some type of emissions
measurements/estimations in order to gauge progress. The methodology for performing this
task should be reviewed and improved in areas where acceptable techniques have not yet
been established. Automation of emissions estimates derived from emission factors could be
considered provided there is a reasonable level of confidence in the factors and usage data
involved.
Priority
Medium to High - Largely driven by need to establish long-term planning and set regulatory
certainty.
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June 19, 2006
LOCAL AIR QUALITY PLANNING
Recommendation #4
AQM Subcommittee Team 1, Group 2
Recommendation:
Local / Tribal governments should integrate air quality planning into their land use,
transportation and community development plans when high population growth is occurring
in order to prevent significant deterioration of air quality.
As America grows, it is particularly important that land use/transportation/air quality
linkages be established in a manner that educates, provides incentives and flexibility for
local/tribal officials and governing boards or commissions because local forums have great
power to design and manage growth in ways to stimulate creative cost effective solutions for
preserving clean air.
Background/Explanation: If we as a nation are to preserve the clean air still enjoyed in much of
the country, we must begin to manage the chronic air pollution growth from minor and mobile
sources that is occurring in high population growth areas where green fields are rapidly giving
way to new residential, commercial and transportation developments.
A largely missing element of the clean air framework is the tools to achieve the policy goal of
Section 160(3) of the Act "to insure that economic growth will occur in a manner consistent with
the preservation of existing clean air resources" when minor and area source growth emissions
are a threat to retaining clean air.
During the long history of the Clean Air Act, local government planning generally has only
occurred when a non-attainment problem must be solved. Local governments, elected officials,
and the business community, however, can react quickly to bring about cost-effective solutions
to air quality problems when they understand the possible adverse economic impacts as a result
of inaction. Opportunities for flexibility and inventiveness should be encouraged to engage local
leaders early in the air quality management process in order to avoid prescriptive programs that
would accompany non-attainment. Recently in North Carolina for example, local officials and
the business community began to take significant ownership of the air quality issue and worked
closely with EPA and the state to develop a suite of control measures with the specific goal of
solving their air quality problem and hopefully deferring a nonattainment designation for their
area.
Preserving clean air is no longer just a big industry and auto tailpipe challenge. Local
governments and local leaders have a growing appreciation of the value of clean air as a health,
quality of life and economic resource. Chronic erosion of air quality which gradually builds to
violations of the health standards is an outcome Congress foresaw in 1977. While PSD
increment standards and baseline dates set the foundation, neither the Act nor its rules were
designed to tackle the challenge of massive urban expansion on green fields where today's clean
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rural air quality is chronically eroded by small point sources, area and mobile air pollution
sources in a relatively ungoverned manner.
The Issue Paper on Local Planning discusses other options including comprehensive state-wide
or region-wide airshed planning that could tier-up from a mosaic of local plans. However, if all
areas are required to undertake local planning, it could become a significant and unnecessary
burden for local and tribal governments. Consequently, a more surgical approach is
recommended to be applied in high population growth areas. This planning requirement would
need to be accompanied by new planning tools to aid local and tribal governments.
Problems/Challenges Addressed: A new local planning paradigm is needed if states, local
governments and reservations are going to preserve clean air below the NAAQS level while also
promoting population growth and the vitality of their economies.
The PSD goals of Congress envisioned managing chronic pollution growth in clean air areas
(CAA Section 160). However, the PSD rules are not designed to meet the challenge of chronic
pollution growth from numerous minor and mobile sources when large green field areas are
urbanized rapidly. Left unfettered, chronic pollution growth can consume the PSD increment and
then become an impediment to new economic opportunities.
NAS Recommendation Addressed: This proposal addresses Recommendation # 2 by
expanding the national AQM system to integrate and require local / tribal planning in some
situations where pollution growth is occurring but not violating NAAQS.
In so far as ecosystem protection (Recommendation #5) is enhanced when air quality conditions
are controlled to less than NAAQS levels, this proposal advances the AQM system for
ecosystem protection and public welfare.
Scenario: #2 - Clean Air Act Sections 160 and 161 can serve as the basis to support new
regulations that would achieve the concepts presented here for local planning.
Recommended Actions: Other than as mentioned in the following section, recommended
actions have not yet been developed.
Implementation: Implementing this proposal will require considerable work especially with the
local governments that are most likely to be affected. Regulations will be necessary and tools and
guidelines for local government are essential. States will likely have a role in assisting locals or
deciding when high growth areas will become subject to the local planning requirement.
Because rapidly growing areas are often broader than one city or one local government, states
will likely have an essential role in deciding when aggregate communities need to develop a
multi-jurisdictional forum to accomplish the planning function.
Local AQM planning could integrate well with other recommendations of the Subcommittee
notably: Overcoming Barriers to Clean Energy / Air Quality Integration; Reasonable
Performance Levels; and possibly Boundaries
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Success in implementing this concept for a new AQM planning paradigm is believed to rely on
incorporating some key attributes while specifically avoiding others.
Attributes to Embrace:
Leverage off of existing local or tribal government functions;
Promote and create incentives for embracing clean air as a community economic,
health and quality of life resource that is conserved and managed locally;
Promote creative incentives shown to build local stakeholder buy-in;
Recognize that a new "drivers" are necessary to force the AQ goals, yet drivers
could be crafted as backstop provisions leaving room for results based
innovations and stakeholder buy-in;
Rely more on accountable changes via emission inventories, less on ambient
monitoring, and less on modeling projections. For example, perhaps use the rate
of change in emissions per 10 square miles or other emissions density changes as
a surrogate for ambient AQ degradation and the trigger for local planning.
Attributes to Avoid:
Avoid the current bureaucracy burden of non-attainment area SIPS.
If the rules use the concept of SIP credits as a necessary measure of emission
reductions, then create easier paths for credits when using innovative cutting edge
strategies - rely more on post-planning field verification of benefits achieved.
Benefits: Fills a gap in the existing air quality management system to manage chronic pollution
increases in high population growth areas of the country in order to preserve existing clean air
areas. The recent history has shown this can be achieved in a way to stimulate local/tribal
leaders' wise use of air resources promoting health, quality of life and the economic vitalities of
our cities and communities.
This proposal benefits ecosystem protection and creates stronger opportunities for tribal
government air quality management which could assist environmental justice goals.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to: The proposal provides new oversight to
minor source and area source pollution management, enhances mobile source management in
high population growth areas.
Tools Needed: Yes - many are needed. Considerable effort is required to develop a
comprehensive listing. Other stakeholders beyond the Subcommittee should be engaged.
Priority: High
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June 19, 2006
Recommendation #5
BOUNDARIES
AQM Subcommittee Team 1, Group 2
Recommendation
The AQM subgroup recommends the use of "regional airsheds" to approximate the
boundaries of emission source areas most likely to contribute to nonattainment areas. Such
areas would form a rough approximation of the Area of Influence (AOI) concept
recommended by the FACA. Areas of violation (AOV), also recommended by FACA, can
be applied simply as the areas not meeting ambient air standards (i.e., existing nonattainment
areas) with the main goals of targeted outreach for protection of health and emission control
requirements designed to keep the local and downwind air quality from getting worse. The
subgroup further recommends that regional multi-state organizations be used as the
coordinating vehicle for management of the Airshed Planning Regions.
It is recognized that many air pollution problems are highly localized and/or isolated in
nature and do not need extensive regional coordination. Provided that the jurisdictions
involved in such situations can agree that "local" treatment is appropriate, there is no reason
to require that the areas be included within a regional airshed.
Background/Explanation
The Clean Air Act is generally geared toward addressing air pollution at the local level,
focusing mostly on acute impacts from specific pollution sources. While successful for air
pollutants with limited transport range, other pollutants such as ozone and small particles
have been much more resistant to the "local problem - local control" concept.
Some provisions under the current Clean Air Act that allow EPA to issue rulemaking to
address pollution on regional and national scales, typically focusing on specific pollution
sources (MACT, heavy-duty diesel, Tier 2, etc.), but sometimes also more general (NOx SIP
call, CAIR, etc.). EPA's stated goal is to reduce pollution from these sources enough that
states and tribes can meet attainment by enacting a reasonable amount of local controls.
In order to target widespread ozone nonattainment spanning several states, the Clean Air Act
specified that the Ozone Transport Commission be created, consisting of 13 states and the
District of Columbia in the Northeast in order to create a formal forum for interstate planning
purposes. Generally speaking, this exercise has been a success and regional ozone levels
have dropped significantly. Outside the Northeast, most states have worked independently to
develop their SIPs or have banded together on a piecemeal basis to address emissions.
Today, there are still many areas still suffering regional ozone nonattainment.
As ambient air pollution standards become more protective, localized pollution controls have
become more difficult to identify and more costly to implement. The OTAG process
demonstrated that certain pollutants such as ozone defy state boundaries and that some states
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Page 2
could not reach attainment without more regionally and nationally coordinated emission
reductions. Thus the need for regional coordination has increased greatly for pollutants with
longer atmospheric lifetimes (ozone, small particles, etc.) Section 126 petitions have been
filed by states desperate to reduce upwind emissions.
There was a strong feeling from the subgroup that the most scientifically correct boundary
recommendations stem from the area of influence (AOI) / area of violation (AOV) concept
originally proposed by FACA. It is an approach that is designed to succeed efficiently and
cost effectively. Unfortunately, the AOI/AOV concept has never been seriously considered
for full implementation because of the complexity in defining the area of influence. Area of
influence is a complicated concept in which boundaries can change under differing weather
patterns.
Challenges Addressed
1. Determine meaningful boundaries
2. Transform the SIP process
3. Deal with pollution transport
NAS Recommendations Addressed
Scenario
2/3 - Partial implementation through a stretch of the current CAA, but full benefit may
require revisions to the CAA.
Recommendation Actions
The regional airshed concept is based on the scientific principle that topography, weather
patterns, and pollution sources combine to create their own boundaries and that it is this
boundary that needs to be managed in order to most effectively meet clean air goals. An
example of airshed management is the Ozone Transport Region in the Northeast. Several
states with a common problem, high ozone levels, were grouped together so that they can
combine resources to meet a common goal. Combined, the states are charged with
identifying air pollution reduction measures that can be implemented regionally, and thus
lowering implementation costs and economic competitiveness between partner states. The
concept has been an unprecedented success although when created it was not anticipated how
great the inter-airshed transport would be. For regional airsheds to be effective, lessons
should be learned from what works and what does not with the Ozone Transport Region.
Scientifically correct airshed also need to be defined in other regions of the country so that
those regions can benefit from the expanded coordination.
It is recognized that not all air pollutants and nonattainment areas are in need of regional
treatment. Assuming the jurisdictions involved within the region agree to treat the situation
"locally", there is no reason to require additional regional airshed planning.
Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs) developed for regional haze planning were an
attempt to develop a form of airshed management, but during the formation, certain states did
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not want to get clustered with certain other states and the end result of the RPO boundaries
became an airshed/political boundary hybrid. In order to work, the airshed boundaries need
to be developed based on the science, starting with regions demonstrating measured air
pollution commonalities as well as common source types. Rather than creating a new set of
planning organizations, the multistate organizations could serve to bring the airsheds together
with the requirements of seeking common solutions. Airsheds would seek to cover multiple
pollutants whenever possible, but airsheds may ultimately need modifications to
accommodate other pollutants.
Key Points
> Nonattainment areas will still represent areas with poor air quality and be the focus of
state/tribal SIPs
> Airshed Planning Regions look at the regional context of air pollution sources and
how it affects nonattainment areas and other areas of poor air quality. Efforts should
be focused on building successful state/tribe interrelations and SIPs.
> Regional multi-state organizations (MSOs) will provide the forum for bringing the
regional states together for coordination and planning.
> National - EPA will still need to seek out pollution controls that are best implemented
on a national or sub-national level and will provide resources as needed to study air
pollution emissions, transport, and the coordination of the MSOs so that transport and
airsheds that span across broad regions are properly considered.
Considerations for Defining Airshed Planning Regions (APR)
Resist use of political boundaries when defining airsheds.
Monitoring and major sources/source regions should be considered.
Regional modeling and meteorological modeling should also be considered.
Nonstandard forms of measurements such as aircraft, balloon, satellite, mountain-top,
building/tower monitors could prove useful.
While MSAs may be useful in identifying the urban extent of metropolitan emissions,
the boundary is generally too small to be considered an airshed.
Once an airshed is defined, efforts should be made to understand the science of what
creates it, special topographical and meteorological issues, population health risk, and
other environmental and socioeconomic impacts.
Airshed Planning Regions could contain several nonattainment areas.
Airshed Planning Regions would not necessarily include entire states, nor would they
necessarily be entirely contained within the MSOs.
The MSOs may contain multiple Airshed Planning Regions
States may opt into upwind and downwind airsheds.
Example of what regional Airsheds may look like:
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iast APR
Implementation
Implementation of Airshed based boundaries will be scientifically intense up-front, but once
implemented, maintenance of it should provide cost savings to the system as a whole with
more cost effective air pollution control strategies more than making-up for increased costs
of regional coordination.
In order to for the airshed concept to work most efficiently, the airshed boundaries need to be
developed based on the science, starting with regions demonstrating measured air pollution
commonalities as well as common source types. Rather than creating a new set of planning
organizations, regional MSO structures could serve to bring the airsheds together with the
requirements of seeking common solutions. Airsheds would seek to cover multiple
pollutants whenever possible, but airsheds may ultimately need modifications to
accommodate other pollutants.
In defining regional airsheds, every attempt should be made to clearly define the airsheds as
simple, but scientifically sound regions, down to the county level. Politically convenient
boundaries should only be used as a tie-breaker where scientific data doesn't show a
preference. It should be further noted that local, regional, super-regional, and national
pollution controls may still be most practical on a case-by-case basis and thus should be
considered during the air quality planning process.
Improves and better coordinates interstate planning and rulemaking to more accurately
reflect the science of air pollution formation and transport. Ultimately there will be overall
cost savings through implementing emission controls in areas where they are most likely to
Benefits
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be effective. The airshed system should also prove more successful in achieving and
maintaining attainment of the most persistent air pollutants.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to
While some categories could be singled-out for initial implementation, all categories should
ultimately be included under this recommendation.
Tools Needed
TBD
Priority
High - Forms basis for many other Subcommittee recommendations
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Episodic Control Measures
Recommendation #6
Team 1, Group 2
June 19, 2006
Recommendation: Expand the use of episodic control measures to attain and maintain ambient
air quality standards in areas where all reasonable continuous control measures have already
been required.
Background/Explanation
In recent years, a number of communities across the U.S. have developed public information
campaigns and voluntary programs designed to reduce emissions on specific days when high
ozone concentrations are expected. Some of these communities have implemented broad-based
ozone action programs that encourage an array of voluntary measures by individuals and
businesses to reduce emissions. Other communities have explored or adopted specific
mandatory measures to reduce emissions, including restrictions on recreational vehicles, lawn
and garden equipment, pesticide application, road paving, traffic marking, construction activities
and the operation of waste incinerators. Some communities have also developed programs to
reduce particulate emissions, e.g., through restrictions on open burning and curtailment of
residential wood combustion, on days when high PM concentrations are expected. However,
despite the growing interest in peak day emission reduction programs, the U.S. air quality
management system continues to be characterized by an overwhelming reliance on continuous
control measures.
Efforts to expand peak day emission reduction programs would benefit from increased research
and technical assistance to communities regarding successful program design, implementation
and program evaluation. However, the greatest opportunities for expanding these programs may
come from the elimination of legal restrictions concerning the use of intermittent controls.
In 1977 Congress considered and explicitly rejected the use of "intermittent" controls as part of a
SIP for achieving the NAAQS. This prohibition was aimed at avoiding reliance on temporary
controls where more reliable continuous controls were presumed to be readily available. It was
also intended to prevent the shifting of pollutants (e.g., by utilities with widely dispersed
production capacity) from one place or time to another, without a corresponding decrease in
overall pollution levels. Given the extent to which continuous controls have been deployed over
the past 30 years, and the considerable strides that have been made in air quality forecasting, the
concerns expressed by Congress in 1977 no longer appear to be germane.
EPA has concluded that the Clean Air Act does not restrict SIP approval (or credit) for episodic
reduction measures that apply to consumer products or services, or to certain (i.e., non-
stationary) consumer actions, since these measures may represent the only feasible type of
control. EPA has also concluded that episodic transportation control measures and certain other
mobile source measures may be approved for SIP credit under certain circumstances. However,
EPA maintains that the Clean Air Act restricts the use of intermittent controls at stationary
sources as part of an approvable SIP.
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Legal issues notwithstanding, episodic control measures at stationary sources could provide a
new set of cost-effective control opportunities capable of yielding large emission reductions
precisely where and when they are most needed. For example, electric power producers and
certain industrial sources may have latitude to burn cleaner fuels or to increase the utilization of
cleaner units on high pollution days. Even on the hottest days, power plants may operate well
below capacity at night and during the early morning hours, which may allow dispatchers to shift
more production to their cleanest units at those times. In addition, power producers may be able
to achieve reductions by importing electricity at key times from cleaner sources outside of the
region. In addition, some large and small scale manufacturing operations may have the ability to
alter their production schedules and/or operations to reduce emissions on predicted high
pollution days.
Problems/Challenges Addressed
Ozone nonattainment is predominantly an episodic problem. With few exceptions, areas
struggling to meet the 8-hour ambient air quality standard for ozone are at risk of
exceeding the standard on a limited number of days during the warm weather months,
when precursor emissions and meteorological conditions can combine to form peak
ozone concentrations.
Under EPA's proposed new daily standard for fine particles, nonattainment is also likely
to be an episodic problem for many communities across the country, although depending
on the area, peak PM2.5 concentrations may occur in different seasons throughout the
year.
Despite the episodic nature of ozone and PM2.5 pollution, the air quality management
system in the U.S. has been dominated by the use of continuous control strategies.
Many areas are unable to expeditiously attain and maintain the ozone and PM2.5 short-
term standards through the exclusive use of continuous control measures and, as a result,
their populations will encounter periods of exposure to unhealthy ozone and/or fine
particle concentrations for years to come.
NAS Recommendation Addressed
Meeting the NAAQS for ozone and PM2.5 and reducing regional haze
Ensuring environmental justice
Scenario: Noted after each recommendation.
Recommended Actions
Expand federal research and technical assistance to communities regarding the design,
implementation and evaluation of successful programs to reduce peak day emissions
from non-stationary sources (scenario 1).
Expand the use of stationary source episodic control measures as a backup insurance
mechanism (i.e., outside the scope of an approved SIP) for areas struggling to maintain
the short-term ambient standards (scenario 2).
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Remove any legal uncertainty regarding SIP credit for intermittent controls at stationary
sources (scenario 3).
Implementation: If the use of episodic control measures is to be expanded - and more fully
extended to stationary sources - a number of implementation issues must be addressed,
including:
What role should these measures play in the air quality management system? Should
they be mandatory or voluntary in nature? When should they be given credit in an air
quality management plan?
How can the results of such programs be measured?
Since any measure that can interrupt or alter manufacturing operations may have
significant and complex business impacts, how should these impacts be assessed and
appropriately reflected in the design of a mandatory program?
How far can EPA and states go in developing episodic control measures for stationary
sources under existing legal authorities?
How well can high pollution days be predicted and how best can episodic measures be
called into effect?
What stationary source control measures might be suitable candidates for episodic
implementation?
Benefits
Episodic control measures can provide an expanded set of cost-effective control
opportunities for states and local communities. These measures are capable of yielding
sizable emission reductions when they are most needed.
A variety of measures which could not be implemented on a continuous basis could prove
suitable and acceptable for episodic use.
For areas that are struggling to attain ambient air quality standards, despite the imposition
of all feasible continuous controls, the use of episodic control measures can accelerate air
quality progress, and provide the "final stroke" needed to achieve attainment without
undermining the role of continuous controls.
For areas that are struggling to maintain ambient air quality standards, episodic control
measures can serve as a backup insurance mechanism by preventing air quality violations
on days when meteorological conditions might otherwise stress a local air quality
management plan beyond its breaking point.
By reducing peak concentrations on the highest pollution days, episodic control measures
can provide considerable health and environmental benefits to all effected populations.
Sectors/Categories Recommendation Applies to: All
Tools Needed
Additional research and technical assistance on the successful design, implementation
and evaluation of voluntary programs designed to achieve peak day emission reductions.
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Sector-specific engineering and cost data to assess (and quantify) the potential
contribution of stationary source episodic control measures.
State-of-the-art methods for predicting potential ozone and PM.2.5 exceedance days.
Priority: [TBD]
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Draft: June 15, 2006
TEAM 1: Group 3
Proposed Coordination Strategies for Air Quality,
Land Use, Energy, Transportation and Climate
[NOTE TO READER: This document represents Group 3's work product as of
June 15, 2006. It contains seven recommendations and reflects changes made to
address Subcommittee feedback provided at and following the May RTP meeting.]
INTRODUCTION
The Subcommittee on Air Quality Management ("AQM Subcommittee") is developing
recommendations for long-term changes to the air quality management system based on
the National Research Council's recommendations in its 2004 report entitled "Air Quality
Management in the United States". Team 1 to the AQM Subcommittee is designing a
proposed process for managing air quality and has divided its work into various issue
areas. We were asked to address Issue 3. Specifically, we were asked to propose ways in
which the AQM framework of the future should coordinate with other programs such as
land use, energy, transportation and climate.
Land use, transportation and energy policies and programs are intertwined with air
quality policies and programs. Specifically, land use, transportation and energy policies
and programs can conflict with or frustrate attaining national air quality goals.
Conversely, air quality policies and programs can conflict with or frustrate national
transportation and energy goals. With these basic understandings in mind, the guiding
principal for Issue 3 is that our nation's land use, transportation and energy policies and
programs and our nation's air quality policies and programs must be aligned to serve
consistent objectives.
During Group 3's discussions, there was considerable debate regarding the extent to
which Group 3 should address climate. Some stakeholders believed that it was
inappropriate for the AQM Subcommittee to address climate in any manner. Other
stakeholders believed that it was essential for the AQM Subcommittee to address climate.
After significant discussion, the Group 3 stakeholders agreed to a compromise position.
Specifically, for purposes of the draft proposals set forth below, Group 3 agreed to pursue
recommendations focused on information gathering and coordination and
recommendations that recognized, without undermining, the various climate initiatives
underway at state and local levels. Group 3 agreed that it would not entertain
recommendations that mandate or advance climate change policy or proposals that give
the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") a preemptive or preeminent
role in climate change programs or policies.
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RECOMMENDATION 1: THE AOM PROCESS SHOULD SUPPORT
TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE SCENARIO PLANNING AT THE
MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL. TRIBAL AND LOCAL LEVELS AND OTHER
MEANS TO IDENTIFY EMISSIONS REDUCTION OPPORTUNITIES AND
IMPROVE TRIBAL AND LOCAL ENGAGEMENT.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION: Tribal and local governments have critical control
and approval authority over land use choices that significantly impact air pollution,
transportation systems (which some would argue is the most critical driver of locally
controlled development), air pollution, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Multi-
jurisdictional planning organizations1 are also significantly involved in local land use and
transportation planning in several ways, including by providing technical planning
support to local governments. For example, tribal and local governments and multi-
jurisdictional planning organizations have the power to determine or influence the way in
which land is developed, how auto use and transportation patterns evolve, which land is
opened to development, and whether local funds and land use are used to support mass
transit, rather than discourage it. Some may also influence whether energy efficiency or
demand side management techniques are required or implemented (e.g., in residential and
commercial development). There is no single Federal requirement for coordination
among transportation, land use and air quality, although metropolitan and statewide
transportation planning must address land use and air quality factors and the
transportation conformity process seeks to conform transportation planning to the SIP's
purpose of reducing violations and contributing to attainment of national ambient air
quality standards. By virtue of their role in these multiple areas, multi-jurisdictional
planning organizations and tribal and local governments have a unique opportunity to
coordinate air quality, land use, energy, transportation and climate programs. For these
and other reasons, Recommendation 1 is that multi-jurisdictional planning organizations
and tribal and local governments should be an integral part of the AQM process.
Group 3 recognizes that considerations such as quality of life are often the drivers for
tribal and local governments (often with the support of multi-jurisdictional planning
organizations) to recommend and adopt land use and other practices that are also good for
air quality. Group 3 believes that EPA can play a constructive role in supporting such
practices by providing tools and resources to assess air quality benefits of alternative land
use scenarios.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) meeting the NAAQS for ozone and PM2.5 and
reducing regional haze; (2) addressing air quality on the appropriate geographic scale
(locally, regionally and globally); (3) addressing remaining pollution problems, including
unregulated and smaller "area sources," and (4) coordinating air quality, energy,
transportation and urban planning strategies.
1 For purposes of Recommendation 1, "multi-jurisdictional planning organizations" include, but are not
limited to, multi-state organizations such as State DOTs, MPOs, RPOs, COGs, nonprofit planning
organizations and independent system organizations.
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NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses and/or
supports the following NAS recommendations: (1) expand national and multistate
performance-oriented control strategies to support local, state and tribal efforts; and
(2) transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-
oriented, multipollutant air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO: 1 (This recommendation includes an examination of the advantages of
scenario planning. Any future proposal for mandatory scenario planning would need to
respect responsibilities of different levels of government. Statutory changes would be
required to achieve mandatory scenario planning.)
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
In order to achieve enhanced multi-jurisdictional planning organization and tribal and
local government involvement in the AQM process and better coordination of AQM, land
use, energy, transportation and climate programs, the AQM process should be modified
so that multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal and local government
choices are better integrated with, and become a meaningful input into, Federal, State and
Tribal AQM processes. In order to accomplish this objective:
A. EPA should encourage States and Tribes to coordinate with multi-jurisdictional
planning organizations and tribal and local governments, including by aligning
planning schedules at the State and local levels. EPA should provide resources to
multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal and local governments so that
they can better understand the impact that their land use, energy, and transportation
decisions will have on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. To that end, EPA
(in consultation and coordination with DOT, EPA, States and Tribes) should assist
where appropriate in linking up multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal
and local governments that are actively implementing integrated planning approaches
(e.g., Sacramento, Portland, Chicago, Minneapolis) with those that are considering
but not yet implementing such approaches (e.g., Atlanta).
Additionally, EPA (drawing on outside expertise) should develop a clearinghouse of
planning related resources and tools. Over the longer term multi-jurisdictional
planning organizations and tribal and local governments need more sophisticated
transportation and land-use models that adequately capture local land design issues,
bicycle and pedestrian travel and induced demand. These models will need to be
supported by high quality, sufficiently disaggregated land use and travel data. In the
short term, regions, communities and tribal entities need scenario analyses and
visioning tools that allow them to understand, visualize and quantify the opportunity
costs of business-as-usual development trends and the benefits of more efficient
transportation and land use scenarios. It is important to respect that local land use and
transportation infrastructure decisions are typically driven more by quality of life and
economic concerns than by air quality and environmental issues. Thus it is critical
that scenario analysis tools address multiple factors (such as emissions, mobility,
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consumer fuel costs, water quality, infrastructure costs, etc.) of concern to the public
elected officials, and the private sector.
B. EPA (in partnership with States, Tribes and DOT and in consultation with other
interested stakeholders) should encourage multi-jurisdictional planning organizations
and tribal and local governments to conduct a visioning and scenario planning process
in which the area in question decides where it wants to be in X years with regard to
land use, transportation and energy and adopts a plan to incorporate the necessary
policies and ordinances that further its vision. These efforts should be coordinated
with and supported by the transportation planning process. This could produce an
"integrated" strategy that addresses land use, energy and transportation in a manner
that is directionally correct for air quality or explicitly tied to attainment. Moreover,
as part of their visioning and scenario planning process, multi-jurisdictional planning
organizations and tribal and local governments should be encouraged to work with
state and/or tribal planning organizations to identify strategically-located local
communities that are appropriate for new fuel and energy generation, storage,
transportation technologies and facilities, and infrastructure requiring changes to the
existing land and built environment.
C. EPA (in partnership with States, Tribes, and DOT and in consultation with other
interested stakeholders) should explore the advantages and disadvantages of
mandatory and voluntary visioning and scenario planning that, among other things,
identifies the environmental benefits and detriments of various land use choices.
Such a program could be conducted as part of the multi-jurisdictional planning
organization's or tribal or local government's transportation planning and air quality
planning process.1 If it is determined that a mandatory program is appropriate,
significant changes would be required not just to the AQM system, but to the
transportation planning and conformity processes and underlying statutes.
D. EPA should allow SIP/TIP credit and make available other forms of recognition or
alternative "credit" for multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal and local
governments that revise their land use laws consistent with EPA's model goals and
ordinances, or that implement quantifiable land use, energy or transportation
technologies or approaches that benefit air quality.
IMPLEMENTATION:
For Recommendation A, to link up multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal
and local governments on integrated planning approaches, EPA should develop a plan in
consultation with States, Tribes, DOT and the various associations that represent
municipalities (e.g., National Association of Regional Councils). The plan should
include a mechanism for facilitating communication and scheduling between and among
1 A recommendation to mandate scenario planning for Transportation Improvement Plans and Long Range
Transportation Plans was initially developed by a group of transportation, land use and air quality experts
convened by the Center for Clean Air Policy and the Local Government Commission in December 2004.
See http://www.ccap.org/transportation/smart two.htm for more information.
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multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal and local governments, as well as
issuing guidance.
Further, with respect to the clearinghouse of planning resources, EPA (drawing on
outside expertise) should gather items that will help multi-jurisdictional planning
organizations and tribal and local governments achieve planning and development
practices that benefit air quality. The clearinghouse of resources should include, without
limitation:
1) Modeling software that enables multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and
tribal and local governments to model current and alternative land use patterns,
energy trends and transportation options so that they can study how different
future land use, energy and transportation scenarios would impact future
emissions;
2) Modeling software that enables multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and
tribal and local governments to quantify the emission reductions associated with
certain land use, energy and transportation technologies or approaches;
3) On-line tutorials and manuals for using modeling software;
4) Model codes and ordinances that benefit air quality (e.g., model codes and
ordinances that promote increased urban density, multiuse clustering, energy
efficiency and public transportation);
5) Guidebooks that identify land use, energy and transportation technologies or
approaches that benefit air quality and establish certain minimum steps that multi-
jurisdictional planning organizations and tribal and local governments must take
to obtain State Implementation Plan (SIP) or Tribal Implementation Plan (TIP2)
credit when pursuing such technologies and approaches;
6) Model educational and citizen involvement practices; and
7) Guidebooks that identify funding opportunities for innovative land use, energy
and transportation approaches.
In assembling this clearinghouse EPA should determine what resources have been
developed and what items need to be enhanced or developed. EPA and the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) currently provide some technical assistance and
guidance on scenario planning tools and integrating transportation and land use planning.
Increasing awareness of these existing tools will be straightforward and low cost. For the
tools needing to be enhanced or developed, EPA should decide which ones to develop
first based on stakeholders' needs.
To help ensure these tools are readily accessible to multi-jurisdictional planning
organizations and tribal and local governments, EPA should make the clearinghouse
available in a central place on the web. EPA should also consider featuring the tools at a
conference with a particular emphasis on creating champions or advocates such as local
politicians and land planners who can utilize the information to promote beneficial land-
use practices in their respective communities.
2 Throughout this document TIP refers to Tribal Implementation Plan and not Transportation Improvement
Program.
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The clearinghouse and the other recommendations in this proposal are intended to deepen
current support and systematize it so that the benefits of these tools and approaches can
be implemented more broadly. As such, the clearinghouse will require additional staff
and financial resources for implementation, especially for new tool development.
For Recommendations B and C, to improve the effectiveness of scenario planning, EPA
should partner with States, Tribes, local governments and DOT to support pilot
transportation and land use scenario analyses in a few metropolitan regions across the
U.S. These pilot efforts would test the premise that alternative scenario analyses can
identify cost-effective emissions reduction options that would otherwise be missed in the
current system that does not explicitly consider land use as a policy variable. In addition,
the pilots would assess whether scenario analyses yield persistent emission reduction
strategies that will help maintain air quality and aid in meeting future SIP/TIP objectives.
These pilot efforts should be designed to fully understand what is involved with making it
a mandatory feature of AQM and inform how a scenario analysis requirement would be
structured and implemented. EPA should partner with States, Tribes and DOT in this
effort of piloting scenario analyses and in determining what next steps would be
necessary to make use of scenario planning more widespread, including consideration of
whether making such analyses mandatory should be proposed.
For Recommendation D, EPA should give States and Tribes the option to include the
visioning and scenario planning process as an input into their SIPs or TIPs in one of three
ways: as a measure in the baseline, a measure warranting credit, and/or a growth
assumption. EPA has developed several useful guidelines for calculating SIP and TIP
credit. For example, EPA has provided guidance on SIP credit for emission reductions
from electric sector energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and plans to provide
guidance on SIP credit for Emission Reductions from Highway and Off-Road Diesel
Vehicles and Retrofits. EPA should continue developing guidelines for calculating SIP
and TIP credit associated with other land use, energy and transportation technologies and
approaches and should work with EPA regional offices and in consultation with States
and Tribes to follow such guidelines for purposes of SIP and TIP planning and
development. Specifically, EPA should develop guidance that explains how areas can get
SIP/TIP credit for well documented land use measures that multi-jurisdictional planning
organizations and tribal and local governments adopt that yield emission reductions.
EPA should also develop new guidance to allow SIP/TIP credit where the total reductions
for voluntary strategies would exceed the 3 or 6 percent under current guidance. See
Group 3's Recommendation 2 for implementation measures that EPA could pursue to
further credit and other recognition programs outside the SIP/TIP process.
BENEFITS: Current land use and transportation decisions will impact emissions over
many decades. Providing multi-jurisdictional planning organizations and local and tribal
governments with tools and resources to better understand the interaction among land
use, transportation, energy and GHG emissions will empower them to make better
decisions over the short and long-terms. Alternative transportation and land use scenario
analyses have been used to identify cost-effective emissions reduction options that would
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otherwise be missed in the current system that does not explicitly consider land use as a
policy variable. In addition to emissions benefits, smart growth policies can yield
multiple benefits on issues of significant public and private sector concern including:
energy security, exposure to traffic congestion, ecosystem preservation, reduced
infrastructure costs and protection of water resources.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENDATION APPLIES TO: mobile,
stationary and area
TOOLS NEEDED: The tools needed are described in detail in the "Implementation"
section above and cover issues related to better understanding and addressing the
interactions among transportation, land use, energy, air quality and GHG emissions.
PRIORITY: High. Improved tools and understanding of the effects of current
development patterns is needed. Given the long-term impacts of land development and
transportation decisions, delayed action on smart growth measures will continue impacts
of development patterns well into the future.
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RECOMMENDATION 2: THE AOM PROCESS SHOULD INCLUDE
INCENTIVES (INCLUDING. BUT NOT LIMITED TO. MORE FLEXIBLE
FORMS OF CREDIT. REGULATORY INCENTIVES AND ECONOMIC
INCENTIVES) FOR VOLUNTARY AND INNOVATIVE LAND USE. ENERGY.
AND TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES OR APPROACHES.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION: The AQM process should include incentives for
voluntary and innovative land use, energy, and transportation technologies or approaches
that benefit air quality in nonattainment and other areas. Innovative technologies and
approaches that should be encouraged include, without limitation, low emission
technologies, smart growth, energy efficiency measures, cogeneration, demand-side
management and renewable resources. The AQM process should better integrate
incentives that encourage these technologies and approaches into the NAAQS
implementation process. Incentives could include, but are not limited to:
more flexible forms of SIP and TIP credit,
regulatory incentives (such as expedited or streamlined permitting opportunities)
and economic incentives (such as tax incentives, public benefits programs,
state and utility funding programs for energy efficiency projects), where
appropriate and properly structured, and
recognition programs or forms of alternative "credit" for communities that
implement voluntary and/or innovative land use, energy or transportation policies,
programs or practices that benefit air quality.
While EPA has already developed incentives for voluntary and innovative measures that
address the above objectives (e.g., 2001 Economic Incentive Guidance), many
stakeholders are unaware of these programs.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) meeting the NAAQS for ozone and PM2.5 and
reducing regional haze; (2) addressing air quality on the appropriate geographic scale
(locally, regionally and globally); (3) addressing remaining pollution problems, including
unregulated and smaller "area" sources; and (4) coordinating air quality, energy,
transportation and urban planning strategies.
NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses and/or
furthers the following NAS recommendations: (1) expand national and multistate
performance-oriented control strategies to support local, state and tribal efforts; and
(2) transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-
oriented, multipollutant air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO: 1,2 or 3 depending on the incentive (e.g., self certification incentives
would be Bin 1, permit streamlining would be Bin 2, and tax credits would be Bin 3)
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RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
A. EPA should develop a communication strategy to inform interested stakeholders
about those programs that already exist. (Identification and development of
communication tools to disseminate information regarding existing programs
intended to motivate voluntary and innovative technologies and approaches is
referred to Team 1, Group 4.)
B. EPA should continue to develop new programs that motivate voluntary and
innovative measures. Appropriate and properly structured incentive programs
such as expedited and streamlined permitting opportunities, the Texas TERP
program, EPA's Performance Track Program, and innovative measures such as
voluntary mobile emissions reduction programs ("VMEP") and projects funded
by Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds can, in the aggregate,
make greater overall contributions to future SIPs and TIPs than they have in the
past. (Identification and development of tools to motivate voluntary and
innovative technologies and approaches is referred to Team 2.)
C. Current SIP approval requirements have recently been made incrementally more
flexible in crediting such measures, but they still require a ton-denominated
precursor reduction applied to each such measure. The AQM process should
establish more flexible forms of credit for such measures. EPA should assist in
determining and providing SIP and TIP credits for energy efficiency and
renewable energy programs.
D. With respect to community recognition programs, EPA should compile a list of
existing recognition programs (e.g., Indiana CLEAN Community Challenge),
their strengths and weaknesses and what the recognizing entity offers as an
incentive to areas that implement environmentally beneficial measures (e.g.,
technical assistance, public recognition, cash awards). Drawing from this
research, in partnership with other organizations that work with local
governments, EPA should develop a community recognition or other alternative
"credit" program for nonattainment and other areas that adopt voluntary and/or
innovative land use, energy or transportation policies, programs or practices that
benefit air quality. EPA should develop clear criteria for how an area would
qualify for this recognition or alternative "credit".
IMPLEMENTATION: Recommendations A and B are referred to Team 1 Group 4 and
Team 2, respectively. For Recommendation C, EPA should consider the predicted
effects of a package of measures presented in a SIP or TIP, potentially over a longer time
horizon than the SIP review period. Specifically, EPA should identify or develop model
land use, transportation and energy planning documents that address SIP/TIP credit issues
applicable to each voluntary and innovative measure that Team 2 identifies pursuant to
Recommendation B. Among other things, the model documents should demonstrate how
to quantify emission reductions expected from each identified measure in a manner where
they can be considered for SIP or TIP credit. EPA should also encourage adaptive plan
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revisions as indirect effects of innovative measures become better understood, which is
consistent with current SIP requirements for reasonable emission reduction progress
checks. The implementation challenge for this recommendation will be identifying
appropriate targets for emission reduction initiatives and quantifying the air quality
benefits expected or actually achieved as a result of any one initiative.
BENEFITS: This recommendation shifts the focus for new programs away from
traditional command and control strategies to strategies that are the most likely to be
effective in achieving additional air pollution gains in the areas of land use, transportation
and energy planning.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENDATION APPLIES TO: mobile,
stationary and area
TOOLS NEEDED: Recommendations A and B are referred to Team 1 Group 4 and
Team 2, respectively. For Recommendation C, EPA should identify or develop model
land use, transportation and energy planning documents that could be applied in other
jurisdictions for SIP/TIP credit.
PRIORITY: High
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RECOMMENDATION 3: AN INTER-AGENCY LIAISON GROUP SHOULD BE
ESTABLISHED WTTH EPA AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES (e.g., FAA.
HUD. DOE. NRC. FERC. USDA. CDC. DPI AND DOT) TO EXPLORE ISSUES
AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COORDINATING LAND USE. ENERGY.
TRANSPORTATION. GREENHOUSE GAS AND AIR QUALITY GOALS.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION: Land use, transportation and energy policies and
programs are inextricably intertwined with air quality policies and programs.
Specifically, land use, transportation and energy policies and programs can conflict with
or frustrate attaining national air quality goals. Conversely, air quality policies and
programs can conflict with or frustrate national transportation and energy goals.
Federal agencies already coordinate their activities to some extent. For example, when
EPA undertakes a major rulemaking, the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB)
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) facilitates an inter-agency review
process to ensure other federal agencies have an opportunity to review and provide
comment on EPA rulemakings. Moreover, Executive Orders 13211 (May 18, 2001) and
12866 (September 30, 1993) require Federal agencies to prepare a Statement of Energy
Effects when undertaking certain actions that promulgate or are expected to lead to the
promulgation of a final rule or regulation that is likely to have a significant adverse effect
on the supply, distribution or use of energy. A Statement of Energy Effects must include,
among other things, detailed information regarding any adverse effects the agency action
will have on energy supply, distribution, or use (including a shortfall in supply, price
increases and increased use of foreign supplies). OIRA uses the Statements of Energy
Effects to ensure that one federal agency's proposed actions do not conflict with another
agency's policies or actions. Federal agencies must also publish their Statements of
Energy Effects, or a summary thereof, in each Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and in any
resulting Final Rule.
With the objective of enhancing the above efforts and facilitating earlier and more
meaningful coordination between federal agencies and national programs and objectives,
an Inter-agency Liaison Group ("ILG") should be established based on the guiding
principal that our nation's land use, transportation, energy, greenhouse gas and air quality
programs and objectives must be aligned to serve consistent goals. The ILG should
include EPA and several other Federal agencies such as FAA, HUD, DOE, NRC, FERC,
USDA, CDC, DOI and DOT.
The creation of a Federal coordination group has precedent. In the late 1970s EPA
participated in the Interagency Regulatory Liaison Group or "IRLG." The IRLG brought
together high level officials from EPA and other federal agencies to talk about policies
and other issues of common concern. At least two current Air Quality Management
Subcommittee members recall participating in the effort and feel it was highly effective.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) coordinating air quality, energy, transportation and
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urban planning strategies and (2) maintaining AQM efficiency in the face of changing
climate.
NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following NAS recommendation: transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and
collaborative performance-oriented, multipollutant air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO: 1
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: An Inter-agency Liaison Group (ILG) should be
established with EPA and other Federal agencies (e.g., FAA, HUD, DOE, NRC, FERC,
USD A, CDC, DOI and DOT) to explore issues and opportunities for coordinating and
aligning Federal agency goals and objectives on energy, land use, transportation,
greenhouse gases and air quality. The purpose of the ILG would be to help ensure
Federal agencies work together in achieving coordinated and integrated solutions to these
issues.
In addition to periodically meeting, sharing information and working to align national
programs and objectives, the ILG should work with OMB, CEQ and other interested
stakeholders to develop a protocol under which federal agencies would (a) formally
analyze major proposed federal rulemakings are likely to have significant impacts on
national land-use, energy, transportation, greenhouse gas and/or air quality programs or
objectives; (b) for those proposed major regulations that are likely to have such
significant impacts, prepare Statements of Effects similar in content to the Statements of
Energy Effects that Executive Orders 13211 (May 18, 2001) and 12866 (September 30,
1993) currently require; and (c) subject such Statements of Effects to public review and
comment.
IMPLEMENTATION: The ILG should be established at the political or senior career
level. It should include representatives from EPA's air office and from other Federal
agencies such as FAA, HUD DOE, NRC, FERC, USD A, CDC, DOI and DOT. EPA
should also create a lower level working group to implement the recommendations of the
ILG. The ILG should use a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other vehicle to
establish a common understanding of its purpose and activities. The ILG should meet at
least quarterly to share information and coordinate policies and programs.
In exploring and developing a protocol for analyzing and disseminating information
regarding major proposed federal rulemakings, the ILG (working with OMB, CEQ and
other interested stakeholders) should consider and address several issues, including what
proposed federal regulations are covered and the appropriate scope and extent of analysis
and public participation. In addition, to avoid duplicative analyses, to the extent that a
federal agency is required to prepare an impacts analysis pursuant to another statutory or
regulatory requirement (e.g., the National Environmental Policy Act) that is substantially
similar to the analysis that the protocol requires, the protocol should allow the federal
agency to use that analysis in lieu of preparing a new duplicative impacts analysis.
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BENEFITS: This recommendation encourages policy makers to better coordinate
national air quality, energy, transportation and greenhouse gas programs and objectives.
The rulemaking protocol contemplated by this recommendation would provide policy
makers and interested stakeholders information on significant impacts proposed major
federal rulemakings would have on national air quality, energy, transportation and/or
greenhouse gas programs and objectives. This information would allow policy makers
and interested stakeholders to understand the degree to which proposed major federal
rulemakings would further or undermine national air quality, energy, transportation and
greenhouse gas programs and objectives, including identifying opportunities to reduce
the potential for adverse air quality impacts.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENDATION APPLIES TO: mobile,
stationary and area; federal agencies
TOOLS NEEDED: None immediately apparent; will depend on what initiatives ILG
pursues.
PRIORITY: High
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RECOMMENDATION 4: DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON
REDUCING PUBLIC DEMAND FOR POLLUTING ACTIVITIES. ESPECIALLY
NONESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES. SUCH PROGRAMS COULD INCLUDE
INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR ENCOURAGING USE OF LOWER-
POLLUTING ACTIVITIES. REDUCTION PROGRAMS. AND TAX AND USE
RESTRICTIONS.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION: Most of our air quality management is directed at
large scale sources of pollution, such as major industrial emitters. Although additional
reductions from such sources are possible, further reductions may be achieved by
encouraging the public to reduce activities that produce pollution or to pursue less
polluting alternatives.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) meeting the NAAQS for ozone and PM2.5 and
reducing regional haze; (2) addressing air quality on the appropriate geographic scale
(locally, regionally and globally); (3) addressing remaining pollution problems, including
unregulated and smaller "area" sources; and (4) coordinating air quality, energy,
transportation and urban planning strategies..
NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: The recommendation addresses the
following NAS recommendations: (1) expand national and multistate performance-
oriented control strategies to support local, state and tribal efforts; and (2) transform the
SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-oriented, multipollutant
air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO: 1, 2 or 3 depending on the incentive (e.g., education would be Bin 1,
permit streamlining would be Bin 2, and tax credits would be Bin 3)
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
A. EPA should develop a social marketing and outreach strategy that includes, but is
not limited to, helping the public make environmentally beneficial choices and
understand the impact their decisions have on air quality. This marketing and
outreach strategy should include approaches such as California's 3-star
recreational watercraft labeling program and DOT/EPA's "Best Workplaces for
Commuters" and "It all Adds Up to Cleaner Air" programs. EPA efforts should
discourage activities that are nonessential or which create other environmental
harm in addition to air pollution and encourage alternative activities that minimize
environmental harm. As appropriate, EPA should consult with other Federal
agencies and stakeholders in developing the strategies. (Identification and
development of outreach strategy referred to Team 1, Group 4.)
B. EPA should evaluate options for discouraging (e.g., education, taxes, fees
imposed on federal lands, use restrictions) nonessential activities and encouraging
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(e.g., economic incentives, education, expedited or streamlined permitting
opportunities) less polluting activities. For example, energy demand might be
reduced through programs that educate the public about energy efficient practices
or provide funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
(Identification and development of tools for reducing demand for polluting
activities is referred to Team 2.)
IMPLEMENTATION: Recommendation A is referred to Team 1, Group 4.
Recommendation B is referred to Team 2. One implementation challenge will be
possible resistance from industries that serve the demand for polluting activities. This
resistance may be reduced by shaping programs to create opportunities for such industries
to serve demand for activities with less air pollution impact.
BENEFITS: This recommendation would reduce air pollution at its sourcethe
demand for activities that cause it. This recommendation would involve the public
directly in the decisions individuals make that affect air pollution.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENDATION APPLIES TO: mobile,
stationary and area
TOOLS NEEDED: Recommendation A is referred to Team 1, Group 4.
Recommendation B is referred to Team 2.
PRIORITY: High This recommendation is fundamental to addressing public activities
and area sources.
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RECOMMENDATION 5: ANALYZING EXISTING LAWS TO DETERMINE
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN BE USED TO ENCOURAGE
POLLUTION PREVENTION. ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE
ENERGY AS THEY MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING EMISSIONS.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION: Tremendous progress has been made in the U.S.
reducing air pollution over the past 30 years using primarily command and control approaches.
In addition, there are several environmental and energy statutes that directly or indirectly
address energy efficiency, cleaner energy, and renewable energy as a means of achieving air
quality objectives under the Clean Air Act. These statutes are amenable to a number of
permissible interpretations and the regulations implementing them are amenable to a number of
permissible regulatory frameworks.
For example, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 establish prevention as "a primary
goal" of the Act (see Title 1, Part A, section 101 (a) (3) and Section 101 (c)). The Act
also addresses concerns of multi-media transfer of pollutants.
The Pollution Prevention Act establishes as national policy:
.. .that pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever feasible;
pollution that cannot be prevented should be recycled in an environmentally safe manner,
whenever feasible; pollution that cannot be prevented or recycled should be treated in an
environmentally safe manner whenever feasible; and that disposal or other release into
the environment should be employed only as a last resort and should be conducted in an
environmentally safe manner.
Similarly, the Energy Policy Act in Section 2108 (a) (titled Energy Efficient
Environmental Program) states:
(a) PROGRAM DIRECTION- The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, is authorized to continue to carry out a 5-year program to
improve the energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of pollution prevention technologies and
processes, including source reduction and waste minimization technologies and processes. The
purposes of this section shall be to
(1) apply a systems approach to minimizing adverse environmental effects of industrial
production in the most cost effective and energy efficient manner; and
(2) incorporate consideration of the entire materials and energy cycle with the goal of
minimizing adverse environmental impacts.
A clean air strategy that takes full advantage of opportunities to use pollution prevention,
energy efficiency and renewable energy measures may offer three advantages. First, such
an approach could with a single investment - reduce multiple emissions and reduce
and/or eliminate pollutants and emissions to other media, as well as emissions which are
currently unregulated but which may be in the future. Second, viewed from a systems
perspective (as the Energy Policy Act dictates) pollution prevention, energy efficiency
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and renewable energy measures may be more cost-effective than command and control
strategies. Third, pollution prevention, energy efficiency and renewable energy measures
may help the United States accomplish important public policy goals outside the
environmental and clean air arena, such as energy security, national security and
homeland security.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) coordinating air quality and energy strategies;
(2) meeting the NAAQS for ozone and PM2.5 and reducing regional haze; and
(3) addressing impacts on specific communities (environmental justice).
NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following NAS recommendation: transforming the SIP process into a more dynamic and
collaborative performance-oriented, multi-pollutant air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO: 1 (However, the analysis that results from this proposal could require further
action under Bins 1, 2 and/or 3)
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
A. EPA should examine the scope and extent of pollution prevention-based strategies
permissible under the Clean Air Act, Pollution Prevention Act and Energy Policy
Act; examine the cost-effectiveness of such strategies as compared to current
regulatory strategies; and identify opportunities for taking advantage of pollution
prevention-based approaches that may exist in the current legal framework, as
well as examining enforceable regulatory requirements which allow for use of
pollution prevention strategies where they prove to be more effective from cost-
and performance-based perspectives.
B. Where prevention-based strategies offer the opportunity to achieve national goals
such as greater energy independence and energy security, and/or where they allow
the nation to accomplish reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as an ancillary
benefit that impose little or no net cost to the nation, such strategies and
authorities existing and prospective should be identified and delineated.
IMPLEMENTATION: For Recommendation A, EPA should convene a team including
the Environmental Law Institute, Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. (Joel
Bluestein), the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators and the
Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials (STAPPA/ALAPCO), National
Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), American Council for an Energy
Efficient Economy (ACEEE), DOE's energy laboratories, Electric Power Research
Institute, Environmental Council of States (ECOS), and representatives from the tribes,
industry and environmental advocacy groups, to thoroughly examine the scope and extent
of pollution prevention-based strategies permissible under the Clean Air Act, the
Pollution Prevention Act and the Energy Policy Act, including pertinent rules, regulations
and other policy documents. The review and analysis should include examples of where
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pollution prevention strategies have been tried and used and where opportunities exist to
further the use of these prevention-oriented strategies.
Second, for recommendations A and B, EPA should convene an analytical team including
EPA, DOE, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), STAPPA/ALAPCO,
NASEO, ECOS, and representatives from the tribes, industry and environmental
advocacy groups, to gather all pertinent information and data on the pollution prevention
provisions of all pertinent statutes, rules, guidance and other pertinent policies. In
addition, the team should gather and analyze performance and cost data on energy
efficiency and renewable energy technologies in order to examine their performance and
cost-effectiveness as compared to current regulatory strategies in achieving air quality
objectives and providing other ancillary benefits.
The above two teams should be asked to merge their findings and any proposed
recommendations into a single document and to present that document to EPA and DOE
for consideration.
BENEFITS: Meeting air quality objectives (multi-pollutant reductions, including C02)
in the most cost-effective manner; lower compliance costs; lower administrative costs;
conservation of fuels and resources; enhanced national and energy security; reduction in
greenhouse gases at little or no additional expense; providing new, clean sources of
electricity generation; and enhanced local and regional economic development.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENDATION APPLIES TO: energy sector;
energy customers
TOOLS NEEDED: Assembly of the two teams mentioned in the implementation
section above. No other tools are necessary.
PRIORITY: High
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RECOMMENDATION 6: EPA SHOULD WORK WITH STATE AIR AND
ENERGY ORGANIZATIONS. TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND REGIONAL AIR
QUALITY PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS TO OVERCOME POTENTIAL
BARRIERS TO CLEAN ENERGY/AIR QUALITY INTEGRATION.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION: Many States have developed programs to
implement energy efficiency/renewable energy measures. Several States have expressed
interest in implementing energy efficiency/renewable energy measures to help achieve
State air quality objectives. Toward that end, EPA has established the Clean Energy-
Environment State Partnership Program, a voluntary state-federal partnership to support
State efforts to increase the use of clean energy to achieve environmental, energy and
economic benefits.
To support State and local clean energy programs, EPA has issued three key documents:
1. "Guidance on State Implementation Plan Credits for Emission Reduction
Measures from Electric-sector Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Measures," August 2004;
2. "A Toolkit for States: Using Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) To
Promote Energy Efficiency (EE) and Renewable Energy (RE)," January 2005;
and
3. "Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action: Policies, Best Practices and Action
Steps for States," February 2006.
The above State and EPA programs and resources and the requirement for State
Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions to meet the new 8-hour ozone standard and the fine
particulate matter (PM 2.5) standard have created a "window of opportunity" for clean
energy/air quality integration, partly through the inclusion of energy efficiency and
renewable energy measures into SIPs.
Yet, to date, EPA only has approved one control measure under the August 2004
Guidance. States must submit ozone and PM2.5 SIPs in the next two years, which leaves
very little time to accommodate the lengthy process required for incorporating energy
efficiency and renewable energy measures into SIPs. The voluntary control measure,
approved in an EPA Federal Register notice on May 12, 2005, involved the purchase of
wind energy by a buying group led by Montgomery County, Maryland.
There are limited precedents under the August 2004 Guidance for States, Tribes and local
governments to follow to pursue aggressive adoption of energy efficiency and renewable
energy measures within their SIPs or Tribal Implementation Plans (TIPs). In light of the
coming SIP deadlines, EPA should lead the way now to overcome real and perceived
obstacles to including energy efficiency and renewable energy measure adoption and
inclusion in SIPs and TIPs.
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Obstacles result from several factors:
Some States have indicated that they are unlikely to pursue energy efficiency and
renewable energy measures as part of their SIPs to meet the ozone and particulate
matter standards because they perceive that only an insignificant amount of SIP
credit may be obtained or that EPA requirements (including inconsistent
application of requirements across the regions) for documenting the benefits
within the SIP will be too burdensome;
EPA is currently working with the States, Tribal and local governments on
incorporating energy efficiency and renewable energy measures into SIPs/TIPs
but the effort is not sufficient to provide many State, Tribal and local governments
with the necessary assurances that EPA will likely approve their proposals for
inclusion of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures into SIPs when
they are submitted to the Agency;
Some States, Tribal and local governments do not realize the extent of the
opportunities they have for incorporating energy efficiency and renewable energy
measures into SIPs/TIPs, and do not realize they can work with EPA
Headquarters and Regional Offices on proposals during early SIP planning
discussions;
Incorporation of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures into SIPs/TIPs
raises significant national policy issues which require time to resolve. For
example, in some locations, due to the nature of the electric grid, it can be
challenging to determine how the emissions benefits will occur in locations that
are relevant to the non-attainment area in question. Some States are unclear of
how to interpret EPA guidance on determining where net emissions reductions
need to occur for clean energy measures with respect to a nonattainment area in
order for that area to be able to take credit for that measure. There are also
unrealized opportunities for regional cooperation to credit the dispersed emissions
reductions. Some emission reductions estimated to occur may not be creditable
for one non-attainment area, but may be creditable for another non-attainment
area in another State;
Certain States and regional planning organizations are actively considering
control measures involving energy efficiency and renewable energy but are
concerned that they may be impeded by unforeseen interpretations of the Clean
Air Act, EPA regulations and guidance by EPA Regional Offices;
The relationship between cap and trade programs and SIP credits for energy
efficiency and renewable energy actions can be complex. Some State, Tribal and
Regional air agencies may not realize that they need to retire allowances to
receive SIP credit for NOx emission reductions if the state is subject to the Clean
Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). Some state air agencies may not realize that they
must create an energy efficiency and renewable energy set-aside under their
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CAIR implementation rules to validate SIP credits for energy efficiency and
renewable energy measures for the period from 2009 forward.;
State, Tribal and local governments are in many cases unaware of existing
resources on the timing and amount of DOE, EPA, and DOT funding of clean
energy/air quality integration measures; and
State, Tribal and local governments are facing budgetary constraints that may
limit their ability to adopt innovative approaches.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) Meeting the NAAQS for ozone and PM2.5 and
reducing regional haze; and (2) coordinating air quality and energy planning strategies.
NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: This proposal is responsive to the
following NAS recommendations: (1) expand national and multistate performance-
oriented control standards to support local, state, and tribal efforts; and (2) transform the
SIP process into a more dynamic and collaborative performance-oriented, multipollutant
air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO:
Recommendations A, B, C, D and E - Scenario 1
Recommendation F Scenario 1, 2 or 3; From a legal standpoint, depending on what
type of financing scheme is conceived per this recommendation, it may or may not be
implementable under the existing Clean Air Act.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: EPA should expedite actions to overcome the above
barriers to clean energy/air quality integration. All relevant EPA regional and
headquarters offices should work with State, Tribal and local air planning organizations
to:
A. Communicate with State air agencies, local planning organizations, Tribal
governments and related non-profit organizations (ECOS, STAPPA/ALAPCO,
NASEO) using different formats such as conference calls and webcasts to
determine actual and perceived barriers to clean energy/air quality integration and
to resolve policy issues on including energy efficiency and renewable energy
measures in SIPs/TIPs;
B. Serve as a facilitator and mediator to ensure a consistent approach encouraging
use and incorporation of clean energy measures and to help resolve policy issues
and encourage the inclusion of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures
into SIPs/TIPs;
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C. Engage with State, Tribal and local air planning organizations in early discussions
regarding energy efficiency and renewable energy measures being considered for
inclusion in SIP/TIP submittals to help resolve any issues of interpretation or
other technical concerns, including the reconciliation of the anticipated locations
of the clean energy measure emissions reductions with any SIP requirements
contained in EPA guidance and rules specific to particular SIP submissions;
D. Provide outreach to EPA Regional officials, State officials and State, Tribal and
local governments on the interface between the CAIR regulations and energy
efficiency and renewable energy measures in SIPs/TIPs;
E. Define a sample of energy efficiency and renewable energy control measures
currently under consideration by State, Tribal and local governments to meet the
ozone and PM standards and anticipate and proactively work through the issues
that will arise during the SIP/TIP review process. For example, the Control
Measures Workgroup of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Metropolitan
Washington Air Quality Committee would be one good candidate for such
proactive review since this Workgroup already has developed a large group of
potential energy efficiency and renewable energy measures;
F. Increase awareness among State, Tribal and local governments of existing
funding solicitation opportunities made available by DOE, EPA, and DOT
relating to clean energy/air quality, including likely eligibility, funding levels, and
amount of awards. This includes making these governments aware of such
information sources as the Clean Energy Environment State Partnership online
funding guide provided by EPA. EPA should also make funding information
available on the EPA Air Innovations web site and other high visibility EPA
website locations. This suggestion was presented to EPA at the 2005 Air
Innovations Conference and EPA implementation would help overcome a major
information barrier.
G. Identify innovative financing strategies (e.g., State performance contracting laws)
to assist State, Tribal and local governments in implementing clean energy/air
quality integration measures. For example, EPA should make widely available
information on the development of financing strategies, such as performance
contracting and effective use of tax incentives provided in the Energy Policy Act
of 2005, to spur cash-strapped municipalities to adopt energy efficiency and
renewable energy measures.
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IMPLEMENTATION: For Recommendations A, B, C and D, EPA should convene a
standing group to meet on a regular basis. This group should discuss the interface
between the CAIR regulations and energy efficiency and renewable energy measures,
should be tasked with identifying actual and perceived barriers to clean energy/air
integration and should develop recommendations for addressing such perceived barriers.
The group should focus on facilitating the implementation of energy efficiency/renewable
energy measures across the country and including such measures in SIPs/TIPs, including
the CAIR set-aside issue. Membership on the group should include EPA headquarters
and regional offices, DOE/NREL, STAPPA/ALAPCO, NASEO, ACEEE, Tribal
governments, environmental advocacy groups, industry and others.
For Recommendations E, F and G, EPA should consult NASEO, DOT, DOE/NREL,
ACEEE, States and others to obtain the information, consolidate it and then make it
available on an EPA website dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
BENEFITS: Reducing demand for energy reduces emissions associated with energy
production and combustion which benefits air quality. Renewable energy projects can
help improve air quality today by offsetting fossil-fuel-fired generation, especially during
peak demand.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENDATION APPLIES TO: energy sector
and energy customers
TOOLS NEEDED: Recommendations C, D and E would require the creation of new
web pages dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy issues. No other tools
are necessary.
PRIORITY: High
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RECOMMENDATION 7: TAKING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO ACCOUNT IN
AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
BACKGROUND/EXPLANATION:
The NAS report sets forth the following discussion on climate change:
"The earth's climate is warming. Although uncertainties remain,
the general consensus among the scientific community is that this
warming trend will continue or even accelerate in the coming
decades. The AQM system will need to ensure that pollution
reduction strategies remain effective as the climate changes,
because some forms of air pollution, such as ground-level ozone,
might be exacerbated. In addition, emissions that contribute to air
pollution and climate change are fostered by similar anthropogenic
activities, that is, fossil fuel burning. Multipollutant approaches
that include reducing emissions contributing to climate warming as
well as air pollution may prove to be desirable."
Air Quality Management in the United States, National Research
Council (January 2004) at 16.
In addition, during the past several years many cities and States have promoted actions to
reduce greenhouse gases. For instance, according to EPA, forty-one States and Puerto
Rico have completed greenhouse gas inventories and twenty-eight States and Puerto Rico
have completed, or are working on, action plans that identify options for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions or enhancing greenhouse gas sequestration. Many cities and
states are interested in integrating air quality planning with their climate change
programs.
In terms of specific actions undertaken by States to reduce greenhouse gases, California
has established greenhouse gas standards for passenger vehicles beginning with the 2009
model year, a move several northeast and west coast States have also adopted. In
December 2005 seven northeast States (NY, NJ, CT, ME, NH, VT and DE) formally
signed a Memorandum of Agreement to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas
Initiative (RRGI) which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electric
generating sector using a cap and trade program. Maryland is also expected to participate
in RGGI. California, Oregon and Washington are currently considering similar
greenhouse gas control initiatives.
PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following problems/challenges: (1) maintaining AQM efficiency in the face of changing
climate; (2) considering the effects of climate change in air quality decision making; and
(3) coordinating air quality and urban planning strategies.
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NAS RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSED: This recommendation addresses the
following NAS recommendations: transform the SIP process into a more dynamic and
collaborative performance-oriented, multipollutant air quality management plan process.
SCENARIO: 1
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
A. EPA should continue to pursue Recommendation 4.3 from the Phase 1 AQM
Report to EPA: "4.3 Greenhouse Gas Co-Benefits and Disbenefits - EPA should
assist States, and localities, in quantifying the potential greenhouse gas co-
benefits and disbenefits of emissions reduction measures primarily designed to
address ozone, PM2.5, regional haze and air toxics. In evaluating control
measures, EPA should assist States and localities in quantifying potential
greenhouse gas emissions increases and decreases. Many States and localities
have adopted policies to assess and/or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under
this recommendation, where requested, EPA should support a State's or localities
efforts to determine how pollution reduction alternatives might also impact
greenhouse gas emissions."
B. EPA should continue to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the
implications climate change will have on future air quality objectives and include
other Federal agencies and climate change expert scientists in that endeavor. The
assessment should include estimation of the potential increases in the average and
high temperatures during ozone season and the impacts of such increases on
ozone formation. The assessment should estimate the air quality impact of
secondary effects of temperature increases, such as wildfires, heat island effect,
increased electric use, decreased hydroelectric generation and others. The
assessment should include an estimation of any additional costs and savings
associated with mitigation strategies to address impacts of climate change or
temperature increases associated with secondary effects such as wildfires, heat
island effect, increased electric use, and decreased hydroelectric generation.
C. EPA should continue its efforts to assist states in the development of annual
greenhouse gas emission inventories. The Emission Inventory Improvement
Program quantification guidance should be finalized and made available to states
to promote comparability between state inventories. These enhanced inventories
should be reflected in the assessment conducted under Recommendation B and
enable states to better evaluate the air quality benefits associated with various
control strategies. Coordination with greenhouse gas emissions inventories
collected by other governmental entities, such as DOE, should be pursued to
avoid duplication of efforts and to ensure integrity of the data. EPA, at the
request of Tribes or State or local governments, should also provide additional
technical assistance to States so they may effectively evaluate greenhouse gas
reduction strategies in conjunction with the development of their air quality
management plans.
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IMPLEMENTATION: Per recommendations A and C, EPA should work with States,
local agencies and tribes to provide the necessary technical assistance in regard to
assessing greenhouse gas emission co-benefits/ disbenefits and associated air pollution
reduction strategies as well as provide States, local agencies and tribes with the improved
emission inventory information called for in recommendation C.
For recommendation B, EPA should conduct the comprehensive assessment on the air
quality implications associated with climate change in a manner which utilizes the best
information available and provide for stakeholder input.
BENEFITS: These three initiatives will provide additional and essential information to
States, local agencies and tribes to use in any air quality and climate change program
assessment or development they may be pursuing. Recommendation C will provide
essential guidance on potential adjustments to be considered in the air quality planning
process as a result of climate change.
SECTORS/CATEGORIES RECOMMENTATION APPLIES TO: mobile,
stationary and area
TOOLS NEEDED: Currently available technical assessment tools should be sufficient
to support all three recommendations.
PRIORITY: High
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June 27-28, 2006 AQM Subcommittee Meeting
Atlanta, GA
Team 2 Table of Contents
AQM Tools Matrix
Needs, Tools and Attributes
Tool Descriptions
A. Financial Tools and Financial Demand-Side Strategies &
B. Emission Trading Tools
C. Information Programs, Reward Programs and Non-Financial Demand-
Side Strategies
D. Planning Tools
E. Retrofit Strategies (other than financial incentives, which are listed
separately above)
F. Enforcement Enhancements (includes Privatization Strategies)
G. Targeted Strategies
H. Emission Limits
I. Work Practice Standards
These papers should be considered DRAFTS. These drafts are meant to guide
discussions of the AQM Subcommittee and do not represent decisions or opinions
made by the EPA, the CAAAC, or the AQM Subcommittee.
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Draft #7, 6/19/06
Tools Matrix
Sources or Sectors (not in
priority order)
Recommended Tool Type
Specific Tool Options
Pollutant
Targeted
(1) Fleet turnover & die set
retrofits
A. Financial tools and financial
demand-side strategies
B. Emissions Trading
C. Information programs,
reward programs and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
D. Planning tools
E. Retrofit strategies
F. Enforcement enhancements
I. Emission limits
A. Tax strategies, loans, equity strategies, and targeted rebates are financing strategies that
may encourage fleet turnover (e.g., TERP, DERA, Moyer).
B. Emissions trading may offer an appropriate private sector source of financing to
accelerate turnover. Approaches that might work best for fleet turnover purposes include
inter-sector trading strategies as well as fleet averaging programs.
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Labeling can be
used to inform the general public of the choices they are making and to promote the use of
new and innovative technologies and resources. Performance benchmarking can be used to
highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative technologies through comparison
of these technologies against standard market practices and/or the continued use of existing
products. Surveys can be used to gauge the effectiveness of the programs and to inform
federal, state, tribal and local entities of program results and market changes. Frequent
flyer-type programs can be used to provide incentives for entities that make frequent
purchases by offering discounts, rebates, credits or other offerings to promote repeated use
of the product(s) being promoted. Web tools can be used to move product information. This
information can be targeted to a specific audience or for general consumption to inform,
promote, educate and influence decisions.
D. Modeling to estimate the emission reduction benefits of fleet turnover and retrofit is
recommended. An inventory of the number of diesel engines that could benefit from retrofit
is recommended.
E. Retrofit strategies include converting existing engines to an alternative fuel, engine
recalibration, adding additional emission controls, replacement with a new, cleaner engine,
and anti-idling and other changes in operating strategies that reduce emissions.
F. Use SEP funding to encourage fleet turnover and retrofits. Use remote sensing to measure
reductions.
I. Require mandatory diesel retrofit. Require scrapage programs. Use green contract
conditions in government contracts. Use state and federal leadership programs.
PM, NOx,
VOCs, CO
(2) Land use &
transportation planning
(including road exposures)
A. Financial tools and financial
demand-side strategies
C. Information programs,
reward programs and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
A. Financial demand-side strategies like differential pricing and tax strategies can be used as
an incentive.
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Labeling can be
used to inform the general public of the choices they are making and to promote the use of
new and innovative technologies and resources. Performance benchmarking can be used to
highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative technologies through comparison
of these technologies against standard market practices and/or the continued use of existing
products. Community "Green Action" lists can be utilized to provide access to tools and
information that will help promote the use of more sustainable "Green Community" concepts,
including on line tutorials in the use of modeling software, model codes and ordinances,
sample plans, community involvement practices and funding opportunities. Surveys can be
used to gauge effectiveness of the programs and to inform federal, state, tribal and local
PM, NOx,
VOCs, CO
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Sources or Sectors (not in
priority order)
Recommended Tool Type
Specific Tool Options
Pollutant
Targeted
D. Planning tools
H. Targeted strategies
entities of program results and market changes. Frequent flyer-type programs can be used to
provide incentives for entities that make frequent purchases by offering discounts, rebates,
credits or other offerings to promote repeated use of the product(s) being promoted. Web
tools can be used to move product information. This information can be targeted to a
specific audience or for general consumption to inform, promote, educate and
Influence decisions.
D. Provide modeling software for scenario envisioning and to quantify emission reductions.
Modeling to project VMT for transportation planning is recommended.
H. Non-measured VOC sources can be detected by thermal IR camera (e.g., floating roof
storage tanks, VOC loading racks, pipeline operations, marine vessels and marine loading
operations).
(3) Ships and ports,
airports, and rail systems
A. Financial tools and financial
demand-side strategies
B. Emission trading
C. Information programs,
reward programs and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
D. Planning tools
E. Retrofit strategies
F. Enforcement enhancements
H. Targeted strategies
I. Emission limits
A. Tax strategies, loans, equity strategies, and targeted rebates are strategies that provide
financial incentives to reduce emissions. FAA grants through the VALE program are available.
B. Emissions trading can work together with appropriate emissions performance standards to
provide private sector financing and to accelerate engine turnover. Depending upon the
overall compliance program, the emissions trading element could consist of one or some
combination of a performance averaging program (e.g., by a terminal operator or among
fleets), inter-sector trading, banking and a cap and trade program.
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Performance
benchmarking can be used to highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative
technologies through comparison of these technologies against standard market practices
and/or the continued use of existing products. Web tools can be used to move product
information. This information can be targeted to a specific audience or for general
consumption to inform, promote, educate and influence decisions.
D. Modeling to estimate emission reduction benefits of various strategies is recommended.
E. Retrofit strategies include converting existing engines to an alternative fuel, engine
recalibration, adding additional emission controls, replacement with a new, cleaner engine,
and anti-idling and other changes in operating strategies that reduce emissions.
F.Use SEP funding to accelerate emission reductions through electrification.
H. Non-measured VOC sources can be detected by thermal IR camera (e.g., floating roof
storage tanks, VOC loading racks, pipeline operations, marine vessels and marine loading
operations).
I. Use green contract conditions when facilities are enlarged or rebuilt, or when leases are
up. Emission limits would be effective for any source with discrete, measurable points of
emissions.
J. Imposing work practice restrictions on intermittent sources can be effective to address
high ozone levels (like taxiing on one engine).
PM, NOx,
VOCs, S02,
HAPs
J. Work practice standards
(4) Rural Sources
(a) Agriculture
(including potential
effect on PM
formation and acid
deposition)
A. Financial tools and financial
demand-side strategies
C. Information programs,
reward programs and non-
financial demand-side
A. Predicate approval of loans on agreement to implement best management practices
(BMPs).
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Performance
benchmarking can be used to highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative
PM, VOCs,
ammonia
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Sources or Sectors (not in
priority order)
Recommended Tool Type
Specific Tool Options
Pollutant
Targeted
strategies
D. Planning tools
E. Retrofit strategies
J. Work practice standards
technologies through comparison of these technologies against standard market practices
and/or the continued use of existing products. Web tools can be used to move product
information. This information can be targeted to a specific audience or for general
consumption to inform, promote, educate and influence decisions.
D. Permit streamlining replaces redundant and unnecessary requirements in favor of
practically enforceable limits that can reduce administrative costs, reduce timing, and
improve enforcement. Modeling to estimate emission reduction benefits of various strategies
is recommended.
E. Retrofit strategies include converting existing engines to an alternative fuel, engine
recalibration, adding additional emission controls, replacement with a new, cleaner engine,
and anti-idling and other changes in operating strategies that reduce emissions.
J. Work practice standards (referred to as BMPs) are currently in use and effectively
controlling emissions from many agricultural sources.
(b) Dust
A. Financial tools and financial
demand-side strategies
C. Information programs,
reward programs and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
J. Work practice standards
A. Predicate approval of loans on green clauses in development contracts.
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Web tools can be
used to move product information. This information can be targeted to a specific audience or
for general consumption to inform, promote, educate and
Influence decisions.
J. Work practice standards are effective tools for dealing with "area" type sources such as
dust.
PM
(5) Small Emitters (e.g., dry
cleaners, bakeries,
restaurants)
C. Information programs,
reward programs, and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
D. Planning tools
H. Targeted strategies
I. Emission limits
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Labeling can be
used to inform the general public of the choices they are making and to promote the use of
new and innovative technologies and resources. Performance benchmarking can be used to
highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative technologies through comparison
of these technologies against standard market practices and/or the continued use of existing
products. Community "Green Action" lists can be utilized to provide access to tools and
information that will help promote the use of more sustainable "Green Community" concepts.
Surveys can be used to gauge effectiveness of the programs and to inform federal, state,
tribal and local entities of program results and market changes. Frequent flyer-type
programs can be used to provide incentives for entities that make frequent purchases by
offering discounts, rebates, credits or other offerings to promote repeated use of the
product(s) being promoted. Web tools can be used to move product information. This
information can be targeted to a specific audience or for general consumption to inform,
promote, educate and influence decisions.
D. Permit streamlining replaces redundant and unnecessary requirements in favor of
practically enforceable limits that can reduce administrative costs, reduce timing, and
improve enforcement. Assessing inventory and population density is recommended.
H. Non-measured VOC sources can be detected by thermal IR camera (e.g., floating roof
storage tanks, VOC loading racks, pipeline operations, marine vessels and marine loading
operations).
I. Emission limits would be effective for any source with discrete, measurable points of
PM, NOx,
VOCs, HAPs
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Sources or Sectors (not in
priority order)
Recommended Tool Type
Specific Tool Options
Pollutant
Targeted
J. Work practice standards
emissions. With very small sources, it may not be cost effective to conduct routine or
continuous source sampling.
J. Work practice standards would be an effective alternative to emission limits for most of
these sources.
(6) Consumer Products (e.g.,
VOC-containing consumer
products)
A. Financial tools and financial
demand-side strategies
B. Emissions trading
C. Information programs,
reward programs, and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
1. Emission limits
A. Financial strategies such as targeted rebates have proven successful.
B. One or more emissions trading tools may be effective in this area, including averaging and
banking..
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Labeling can be
used to inform the general public of the choices they are making and to promote the use of
new and innovative technologies and resources. Performance benchmarking can be used to
highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative technologies through comparison
of these technologies against standard market practices and/or the continued use of existing
products. Community "Green Action" lists can be utilized to provide access to tools and
information that will help promote the use of more sustainable "Green Community" concepts.
Surveys can be used to gauge effectiveness of the programs and to inform federal, state,
tribal and local entities of program results and market changes. Frequent flyer-type
programs can be used to provide incentives for entities that make frequent purchases by
offering discounts, rebates, credits or other offerings to promote repeated use of the
product(s) being promoted. Web tools can be used to move product information. This
information can be targeted to a specific audience or for general consumption to inform,
promote, educate and influence decisions.
1. Emission limits would be effective for any source with discrete, measurable points of
emissions. With very small sources, it may not be cost effective to conduct routine or
continuous source sampling.
PM, NOx,
VOCs, S02,
HAPs
(7) Industrial, Commercial
and Residential Boilers and
Heaters, and Legacy
Equipment and Sources
B. Emissions trading
C. Information programs,
reward programs, and non-
financial demand-side
strategies
D. Planning tools
1. Emission limits
J. Work practice standards
B. Emissions trading tools such as plant-wide applicability limits may be effective.
C. Clearinghouses can disseminate information on technology and incentives to educate and
promote the use of technologies that have a positive impact on air quality. Labeling can be
used to inform the general public of the choices they are making and to promote the use of
new and innovative technologies and resources. Performance benchmarking can be used to
highlight the positive characteristics of new and innovative technologies through comparison
of these technologies against standard market practices and/or the continued use of existing
products. Surveys can be used to gauge effectiveness of the programs and to inform federal,
state, tribal and local entities of program results and market changes. Web tools can be used
to move product information. This information can be targeted to a specific audience or for
general consumption to inform, promote, educate and influence decisions.
D. Permit streamlining replaces redundant and unnecessary requirements in favor of
practically enforceable limits that can reduce administrative costs, reduce timing, and
improve enforcement. Modeling to estimate emission reduction benefits of various strategies
is recommended. Inventory assessment is recommended.
1. Emission limits can be an effective tool to address these types of sources.
J. Work practice standards might be an effective alternative to emission limits for some of
these sources.
PM, NOx,
VOCs, S02
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AQM - Team 2: Needs, Tools and Attributes
1. List of "Needs" or Problems:
A. Priority Emission Reduction Target Areas
(1) Vehicles and Engines:
(a) Issues related to vehicle and engine emissions:
i. Insufficient turnover of existing fleets
ii. Need to encouraging higher market penetration of clean engines
and fuels
iii. Need for greater implementation of retrofits
(b) Issues related to vehicle and engine use (i.e., vehicle miles traveled
(VMT)):
i. lack of land use planning to reduce VMT
ii. lack of transportation planning to reduce VMT
(2) Special Under-Managed Problem Areas:
(a) ports and goods movement (including some related on-road engines,
e.g., trucks); and
(b) airports
(c) other federally preempted sources (e.g., railroads, ships, etc.)
(d) agricultural emissions (including both their potential effect on PM
formation and on acid deposition; includes, e.g., ammonia, dust from
tillage, land clearing burning, etc.)
(e) dust emissions
(3) Small Emitters (e.g., dry cleaners, bakeries, restaurants, etc.)
(4) Consumer Products (e.g., VOC-containing consumer products)
(5) Industrial Boilers and Other Under-Regulated Stationary Sources
B. Problems and Needs Related to Measurements (of Problem or Actions Taken)
and Performance Tracking
(1) Baseline Air Quality Data
(a) Current Disincentives - Current program discourages data development
and other efforts to update the technical underpinning of attainment
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SIPs. Currently, areas are penalized for discovering that their problem
is worse than previously understood.
(b) Need for More Refined Data - we need more information regarding
speciation of fine particulates if we are to identify the most appropriate
sources to target for controls.
(c) Inventory Gaps - we have not yet adequately estimated emissions from
many source categories, including:
- marine emissions
- locomotive emissions
- off-road diesel emissions
(d) Insufficient ambient air quality monitoring networks- lack of ambient
data
(2) Hazardous Air Pollutants
(a) limited or non-existent monitoring data;
(b) need better risk assessment methodology that incorporates both
scientific and traditional knowledge;
(c) lack of understanding regarding levels of significance
(d) lack of ambient thresholds; and
(e) need more understanding of potential impact of hazardous air
pollutants on sensitive populations
(3) Planning Challenges
(a) co-benefit evaluations - we lack the tools or metrics to account
properly for co-benefits of various strategies; and
(b) difficulty of evaluating local impacts of trading programs.
C. Problems or Needs Related to Authority or Jurisdiction
(1) Preemption - states and tribes are preempted from regulating many source
categories;
(2) Limitations - e.g., many states and tribes can't go beyond federal measures or
can't regulate minor sources
(3) International and Border Emissions
(4) Authority and jurisdictional regulatory "patchwork" of state/local regulations
versus national regulations
D. Other SIP Challenges
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(1) SIP Credit - how should credit for non-traditional strategies be allocated,
including:
- mobile source strategies (e.g., diesel reduction programs)
- voluntary/incentive programs
E. Resources - many state, tribal and local agencies lack sufficient resources
F. Other Needs
(1) Lack of incentives to prevent air quality problems (e.g., in attainment areas)
(2) Conservation, both user and supplier side, including:
- energy efficiency
- user side behavior/choices
- purchasing/consumption
- mass transit
2. List of Potential "Tools:"
A. Financial Tools and Financial Demand-Side Strategies
Tax strategies (e.g., deductions, credits, accelerated depreciation, etc.)
Loans
Equity strategies
Clean air investment funds
Emission fees
Fees in lieu of offsets
Targeted rebates
Differential pricing
B. Emissions Trading Tools
Cap and trade
Open market strategies
Bubbles (e.g., by category of equipment, facility, industry, port or airport)
Plant-wide applicability limits
Mobile to stationary trading
Interpollutant trading
Risk-based trading
Reactivity-based trading
C. Information Programs, Reward Programs and Non-Financial Demand-Side
Strategies
Clearinghouses for Technology, Regulations, Incentives
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Labeling (e.g., star programs, nutrition label model)
Performance Benchmarking
Community "green" action lists
Surveys (e.g., impacts of personal choices)
Frequent flyer-type programs (e.g., points for personal clean air actions)
Web tools (e.g., info availability, personal clean air web account)
D. Planning Tools
Permit streamlining
Model local ordinances and guidance
Quantification models to project impacts of land use choices
Federal agency ombudsman for assisting local governments to identify available
funds, good land use models, etc.
Memoranda of understanding
Remote sensing
Monitoring tools for dealing with inventory uncertainties
E. Retrofit Strategies (other than financial incentives, which are listed separately
above)
Useful life limits on equipment
Retrofit requirements (Super RACT)
Minimum technology standards based on pollutant focus
Fuel type and usage
Operational protocol
Compliance flexibility
Direct regulations requiring retrofits
F. Enforcement Enhancements
Incentives for self-certification
Source specific emission limit agreements
Privatization Strategies
G. Targeted Strategies
Sensitive zones
Sensitive receptors
Time of day restrictions
Seasonal restrictions
H. Emission Limits
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3. Attributes - for evaluating and comparing tools:
DIRECT:
A. Environmental benefits and dis-benefits (e.g., emission reductions, air quality
benefits, public health benefits, cultural benefits, ecological benefits, aesthetic
benefits), including a statement of which "need" is being addressed
B. Economic impacts (e.g., cost and cost-effectiveness)
C. Time (e.g., lead time, duration in years, continuity of benefit during day and week)
D. Ease of monitoring and accountability
AUTHORITY, JURISDICTION AND MECHANISMS:
E. Jurisdictional attributes (e.g., do states and tribes have necessary authority, are there
limits, who would implement - business, local, state, tribe, federal, international?)
F. Would the strategy require CAA amendment?
G. Replicability
INDIRECT:
H. Impact on personal choice and quality of life
I. Benefits and dis-benefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
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Tool Descriptions
A. Financial Tools and Financial Demand-Side Strategies &
B. Emission Trading Tools
C. Information Programs, Reward Programs and Non-Financial Demand-
Side Strategies
D. Planning Tools
E. Retrofit Strategies (other than financial incentives, which are listed
separately above)
F. Enforcement Enhancements (includes Privatization Strategies)
G. Targeted Strategies
H. Emission Limits
I. Work Practice Standards
These papers should be considered DRAFTS. These drafts are meant to guide
discussions of the AQM Subcommittee and do not represent decisions or opinions
made by the EPA, the CAAAC, or the AQM Subcommittee.
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Brief Description of Tool:
For this application Financial tools and Emissions Trading tools are approaches which
use either an economic incentive or a market-based strategy to encourage people to
reduce emissions of air pollutants in the most efficient manner.
Applicability:
Financial tools and Emissions Trading tools have been used for years with
varying degrees of success. This paper lists some of the tools currently
considered viable with references, where appropriate, to further
information about them as many have been the subjects of lengthy reports.
Financial tools can be used with and without an underlying regulatory mandate
to spur expenditures on emission reducing technologies and strategies.
Implementation Experience:
A. Financial Tools and Financial Demand-Side Strategies
Tax strategies (e.g., deductions, credits, accelerated depreciation, etc.)- Taxes are
an incentive to reduce emissions. Monies collected can be used to fund other
reductions (see Clean Air Investment Funds).
Loans- Region 6
Equity strategies
Clean air investment funds- A CAIF is a State-run mechanism to assist sources
that face high control costs. It can be incorporated into Federal or State
implementation plans for meeting the ozone and PM standards. The principal
purpose is cost relief. A CAIF can serve as a way to lower the cost of compliance
for sources by allowing them to pay an annual amount per ton of emissions in lieu
of installing control equipment. The fund can also serve as a vehicle to attract
investment in program development and technology innovation to improve long-
term air quality management. The central purpose that ties these two uses together
is to provide States and localities an additional tool for seeking out and securing
less costly emission reductions. (EIP, Section 9)
Emission fees- EIP Section 8
Fees in lieu of offsets (Bob Wyman providing something here)
Targeted rebates- These have been used in many places and for many different
purposes. The replacement of lawnmowers and gas cans with newer, lower
emitting models is a popular strategy.
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Differential pricing- "The term 'transportation pricing programs' encompasses a
variety of different programs that have a common element: they attempt to
incorporate the costs of transportation decisions into a price that a consumer sees
and pays directly. " (emphasis in the original EPA 's 9/97 guidance,
"Opportunities to Improve Air Quality Through Transportation Pricing Projects'"
)
B. Emissions Trading ToolsIn general, see EIP
Cap and trade- EIP Section 6& 7 "Cap and trade is a policy approach to
controlling large amounts of emissions from a group of sources at costs that are
lower than if sources were regulated individually. The approach first sets an
overall cap, or maximum amount of emissions per compliance period, that will
achieve the desired environmental effects. Authorizations to emit in the form of
emission allowances are then allocated to affected sources, and the total number
of allowances cannot exceed the cap. "
"Individual control requirements are not specifiedfor sources. The only
requirements are that sources completely and accurately measure and report all
emissions and then turn in the same number of allowances as emissions at the
end of the compliance period. " (source, EPA 's Clean Air Markets Division)
Open market strategies- EIP Section 6& 7, Open Market Trading Guidance.
"Discrete emission reduction (DER) means an emission reduction generated
over a discrete period of time, and measured in weight (e.g., tons)."
Bubbles (e.g., by category of equipment, facility, industry, port or airport)-
EPA 's 12/86 Emissions Trading Policy Statement, 51FR 43814 A system under
which existing emissions sources can propose alternate means to comply with a
set of emissions limitations; under the bubble concept, sources can control
more than required at one emission point where control costs are relatively low
in return for a comparable relaxation of controls at a second emission point
where costs are higher, (from EPA 's Terminology Reference System)
Plant-wide applicability limits The PAL regulations are at 40 CFR 52.21 (aa)
(for delegated PSD programs); 40 CFR 51.166 (w) (for SIP approved PSD
programs); and 40 CFR 51.165(f) (for non - attainment areas). The provisions
are essentially the same in all 3 rules. The preamble discussion for the PAL
rules (which would have a generic description) begins at page 80206 (FR,
Vol.67 #251, Dec.31,2002).
We also conducted a pilot study of PALs at 6 facilities. That study is discussed in a
supplemental analysis for the NSR reform regulations in Appendix A at:
http://epa.gov/nsr/documents/nsr-analysis.pdf
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Here is an excerpt from the summary of the analysis:
The EPA expects that the adoption of PAL provisions will result in a net
environmental benefit. Our experience to date is that the emissions caps found in
PAL-type permits result in real emissions reductions, as well as other benefits. As
part of an overall agency effort to promote more flexible air permits, the EPA has
been working with sources, States, the public, and other affected parties to pioneer a
number of flexible permits nationwide. We recently completed an evaluation of six
of these flexible permits that have been in effect long enough for us to be able to
examine their performance. This evaluation, entitled "Evaluation of the
Implementation Experience with Innovative Air Permits" is included as Appendix A
to this report.
Mobile to stationary trading- is covered in several sections of the EIP. Start
with the general guidance on OMT programs in Chapter 7.5. Development of
emission quantification protocols for mobile sources in OMT programs is
Appendix 16.3. Appendix 16.4 has some examples of Voluntary mobile
programs. Appendix 16.10 discusses conformity, which could be an issue with
mobile sources. Also would want to look at 16.11 and 16.14.
Interpollutant trading- see EIP Appendix 16.9
Risk-based trading
Reactivity-based trading- See EPA's proposed approval of Texas' "Highly
Reactive VOC Emissions Cap and Trade Program for the
Houston/Galveston/Brazoria Ozone Nonattainment Area" (70 FR 58138 (2005) (to
be codified at 40 CFR 52))
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Outline for white paper on incentive grant programs to be issued by the Sub-Committee on
Economic Incentives and Regulatory Innovations and Air Quality Management Sub-
Committee as part of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee
Economic Incentive Grant Programs: An effective method
to reduce emissions from on-road and off-road diesel vehicles
I. Introduction
A. Overview of the challenges in reducing emissions from the Legacy
Diesel Fleet
1. Acknowledge the work of the Clean Diesel and Retrofit
Work Group
2. Outline the challenges posed in reducing emissions from the
legacy diesel fleet as outlined in the draft report
3. Review of different types of mandates and incentives that
are currently in use as introduction to state incentive grant
programs to reduce diesel emissions
II. Analysis of State Economic Incentive Programs
A. Texas Emission Reduction Program ("TERP")
1. History of creation of TERP as a substitute to mandatory
measures in DFW and Houston SIPS
2. Discussion of the passage of SB 5 by the Texas Legislature
including:
a. Diesel Grant Program
b. Clean Vehicle Program
c. Energy Efficiency Program
3. Failure of Funding of SB 5 and passage of HB 1365
a. Discussion and outline of HB 1365
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4. Analysis and discussion of TERP following HB 1365
a. Review of grant effectiveness
b. Analysis of impacts upon different diesel sectors
c. Analysis of SIP credit effectiveness
5. Review of most recent changes to TERP and review of
program by ENVIRON
6. Recent projects of TERP for integration into 8-hour air
quality plans
B. Carl Moyer Program
1. Follow outline of TERP analysis above
III. Overview of Federal incentive program: DERA
A. Follow outline of TERP analysis
B. Discussion of financing of state vs. federal program options
C. Discussion of potential SIP impacts across the US and integration
into 8-hour SIP planning
IV. Conclusion
V. Appendices TERP and Carl Moyer analysis materials
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"DRAFT" Information Programs, Reward Programs and
Non-Financial Demand-Side Strategies
Michael Sheehan
February 27, 2006
Brief Description of Tool:
Clearinghouses for Technology, Regulations, Incentives
Labeling
Performance Benchmarking
Community "Green" Action Lists
Surveys
Frequent Flyer-type Programs
Web Tools
Applicability:
These tools can be used to disseminate and/or gather information on important air
pollution initiatives and programs to and from other federal, state and local parties
as well as the general public. They can be utilized to educate, promote and/or
incentivize the use of technologies, products, and practices that have a positive
impact on air quality.
All of the tools listed above could be utilized to address emissions of any
pollutant from any emissions category. As is the case with any program, greater
results will be obtained from the largest source categories with the most readily
obtainable reductions and the most immediately available pool of information to
provide. As these categories reduce emissions, new categories and opportunities
will arise. The use of these informational tools to gather data, inform the public
and reward those that actively participate in the programs will need to
continuously evolve to remain effective and to more accurately target newly
emerging areas of concern.
Implementation Experience:
Clearinghouses for Technology, Regulations, Incentives - EPA supports a
number of Clearinghouses and maintains a list of these at:
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/hotline.htm . Some of the more notable
clearinghouses are:
o Clearinghouse for Emission Inventories and Emission Factor's
¦ http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief
o Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
¦ http://www.epa.gov/oppt/ppic/index.htm
o Reasonably Available Control Technology /Best Available Control
Technology/Lowe st Achievable Emission Rate Clearinghouse
¦ http://www.epa.gov/ttn/catc/rblc/htm/welcome.html
Labeling - EPA and the Department of Energy support one of the more
prominent labeling programs. The Energy Star program is helping individuals
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protect the environment through the promotion of items that provide superior
energy efficiency. Information on this program can be found at:
http://www.energystar.gov/ . Another labeling program that EPA has experience
with is the labeling of products containing ozone depleting substances.
Information and guidance on this program can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/labeling/labfact.html. Other programs have
been initiated by state and local agencies. The South Coast Air Quality
Management District has the "Clean Air Choice" car labeling program. This
program is designed to help buyers easily identify Clean Air Choice vehicles.
Information can be obtained at: www.cleanairchoices.org .
Performance Benchmarking - Performance Benchmarking is used to highlight
the characteristics of one or more entities in relation to others. This tool appears
to be widely used by consulting groups to highlight, compare and promote the
attributes of a targeted sector. Not a lot of information was available through web
searches of this category, however, one example is:
o NRDC's Benchmarking of Air Emission of the 100 largest power
producers in the United States - 2002, available at:
http://www.nrdc.org/air/pollution/benchmarking/default.asp
Community "Green" Action Lists - EPA created a green communities program
to help communities access the tools and information that would help them
become more sustainable "Green Communities." Information on this program can
be found at: http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/whoweare.htm
o The Goals of the Green Communities Program are:
¦ to promote innovative tools that encourage successful community-
based environmental protection and sustainable community
development.
¦ to establish partnerships with other organizations and agencies to
help build community capacity and knowledge in order to create
more livable communities.
¦ to provide technical assistance and training through the Assistance
Kit, workshops, and the network of successful Green Communities
throughout the country.
o Other programs are:
¦ Greenaction: http: //greenacti on. org
¦ Harmony Foundation: http://www.harmonyfdn.ca/mission.html
¦ Co-op America: http://www.coopamerica.org
Surveys - A survey is a method of gathering information from a number of
individuals (a "sample") in order to learn something about the larger population
from which the sample has been drawn. Surveys can be conducted using different
tools and may have a variety of purposes. EPA has experience in completing
surveys and through its emissions inventory improvement program even has even
documented how to conduct surveys for area source inventories. This
documentation can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/eiip/techreport/volume03/iii24.pdf
o Pursuant to section 183(e) of the Clean Air Act, EPA conducted a
comprehensive 4-year study of consumer and commercial products. A
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major element of that study was an accounting of VOC emissions from the
full range of consumer and commercial products subject to section 183(e).
This included a survey of consumer product manufacturers. Information
can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/183e/gen/183epg.html
o The California Air Resources Board has also conduct consumer and
commercial product surveys in support of initiatives to regulated
consumer products and architectural and industrial maintenance coatings.
CARB's homepage is: http://www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm
Frequent Flyer-Type Programs - most information found under this category
related to airlines or defaulted to financial incentives when linked to
environmental programs.
Web Tools - In the electronic age web tools have been and will continue to be a
necessary part of all environmental initiatives. As noted under all of the tools
above, web tools are well used by the environmental community.
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
As noted, EPA currently supports a number of tools for use by the environmental
community. Given the number of information sources found it is difficult at this
time to determine what if any new implementation options would be available at
this time.
One of the key issues is the ability of the prospective audience to find the right
information given the numerous sources available as a result of a simple web
search. In order to determine what sources have been most successful at
achieving their stated air quality goals an effort should be made to assess existing
programs to determine what can be learned for future initiative and what if any
changes should be made. It should also be noted that electronic data sources are
only as good as the resources and commitment behind them. These tools have
been beneficial to the air quality management process and will continue to be in
the future as long as they come with the commitments and resources necessary to
maintain them.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
The tools highlighted in this paper are informational tools used by the
environmental community. As such they do not necessarily result in measurable
environmental benefits and disbenefits, nor do they have economic impacts or time
constraints. They require resources for monitoring and maintainenance but I am not sure
if anyone has ever assessed these tools for accountability purposes. These tools can be
used by federal, state and local jurisdictions in the implementation of clean air programs
and they would not require Clean Air Act amendments to be implemented. Based on the
number of resources found during the information gathering for this process, these tools
are easily replicable. If they achieve the desired affect, they will help to impact personal
choice and could better the quality of life with continued air quality improvement. By
changing personal habits through the use of these informational tools, there should be a
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net improvement in energy efficiency which will begin to address emissions of
greenhouse gases.
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"Draft" Planning Tools
Michael Bradley
March 6, 2006
Brief Description of Tool:
For this application a "planning tool" is defined as a measure, process, regulation or
ordinance which is designed to anticipate potential air quality problems or to mitigate an
ongoing air quality problem.
Applicability:
"Planning tools" have been used to address many different types of air quality
issues including transportation sources, area sources, intermittent activities and
metropolitan area wide concerns.
An inherent attribute of planning tools is that they can be designed to address a
specific anticipated air quality concern while taking into account the specific
environmental, economic and political dynamics which affect the situation.
The planning process has the ability to take into account recent public health
impact information, respond to new information, take advantage of recent
technological advancements and learn from other similar planning experiences.
Implementation Experience:
A limited number of recently developed air quality related planning "tools" are described
below which illustrates the diversity of approaches which are being adopted: (additional
examples are welcome)
New York City Clean Construction Equipment Law
In a preventive planning strategy, the New York City Council adopted legislation to
limit particulate emissions from construction equipment and diesel generators (non-
road equipment) used by or on behalf of city agencies in order to protect city
residents' public health. The City Council passed Local Law 77, requiring diesel-
powered nonroad vehicles owned or operated by the city or those used in public
works contracts by private companies to employ best available technology(emission
control retrofits) and to use fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 15 parts per
million. New York City is one of the first major U.S. cities to protect public health
by requiring cleaner diesel equipment in public works construction. The City Council
passed the measure in response to the significant health risks posed by non-road
vehicle pollution, which include decreased lung function, aggravated asthma,
respiratory symptoms and premature death. In 2000, the city had over 26,000
asthma-related hospitalizations costing nearly $250 million.
California Goods Movement
Goods movement - by truck, boat, and plane - is now the dominant contributor to
transportation emissions in California. Moreover, CARB estimates that current
(2005) goods movement activities result in approximately 750 premature deaths per
year. To address this problem, the California Environmental Protection Agency and
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the Business, Transportation & Housing Agency are developing a Goods Movement
Action Plan. The Phase 1 Action Plan, released in September 2005, highlighted the
air pollution impacts of goods movement and the urgent need to mitigate localized
health risks in affected communities. The Phase I Action plan established four
specific goals for addressing this problem: reduce emissions to 2001 levels by 2010;
continue reducing emissions until attainment of applicable standards is achieved;
reduce diesel-related health risks 85% by 2020, and ensure sufficient localized risk
reduction in each affected community.
EPA Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program
U.S. EPA's Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program is a
competitive grant initiative that offers an innovative way for communities to work at
the local level to address the risks from multiple sources of toxics in their
environment. Through CARE, various local organizations including non-profits,
citizens, businesses, schools and federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies
create collaborative partnerships that implement local solutions to reduce releases of
and minimize exposure to toxic pollutants. The goals of CARE are to educate
communities regarding their pollution risks, reduce exposure to toxics, and promote
self-sustaining community-based partnerships to improve local environments.
Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority Emissions Monitoring
Since May 2004, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) has been using
state-of-the-art remote sensing devices to measure exhaust from its fleet of nearly
1,000 buses, in an effort to rapidly identify high emitting buses. High emitting buses
are immediately taken out of service and repaired, and often return to service within
24 hours. This preventive monitoring program is an innovative feature in the
MBTA's work to ensure that bus operations throughout the Boston metropolitan area
have minimal impact on air quality. Through this program, the MBTA has become
the country's first metropolitan transit authority to develop an inspection and
maintenance (I/M) program to reduce air pollution from its buses. The remote
sensing inspection and maintenance program will become an integral part in the
MBTA's efforts to reduce diesel bus emissions by 90 percent between 2004 and July
2007 by upgrading its fleet with new compressed natural gas and clean diesel buses.
Portland Land- Use Planning
Via land use planning and zoning requirements, Portland, Oregon continues to be a
front-runner in controlling sprawl while promoting clean air. The city has pushed
pedestrian and transit-oriented real estate development as a way to manage growth,
reduce air pollution and vehicle miles traveled, and obtain maximum return on public
investment in light rail. In the mid-1990's, Portland initiated a "2040 growth
concept" to guide the region's transportation and land-use planning. The city has a
long-established urban growth boundary and offers various programs to help
developers build vibrant downtowns and centers and livable streets.
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California School Siting
California has passed land use planning laws to limit school children's exposure to air
toxics. For instance, in 2003, the legislature passed SB 352. SB 352 creates a new
requirement that any school site located within 500 feet of a freeway or other busy
traffic corridor be reviewed for potential health risks. The focus of this analysis is on
potential acute, short-term exposure to criteria pollutants. While California law
previously required schools to ensure that permitted facilities within 1/4 mile did not
pose a public health risk, the new law further requires schools to ensure that non-
permitted facilities also not pose a public health risk. Such sources include, but are
not limited to, freeways, large agricultural operations, and rail yards. The law does
not apply to existing schools, but the law is expected to have a large impact on future
school siting decisions. The bill came in response to various California Air
Resources Board studies showing that air pollution levels can be significantly higher
within 500 feet of freeways or busy traffic corridors and then diminish rapidly. A
downwind distance of 328 feet (100m) will reduce cancer risk by over 60 percent. If
the physical downwind distance is increased to 984 feet (300m), the relative
concentration is reduced over 80 percent.
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
For planning tools the implementation options would be determined by the specific
circumstances associated with the objectives being pursued by a specific planning tool.
Implementation barriers will also vary depending on the specific planning tool being
developed.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
These attributes will have to be assessed for each individual planning tool.
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Permit Streamlining
Permit Streamlining
Patty Strabbing
February 20, 2006
Brief Description of Tool:
Permit Streamlining is the crafting of permit conditions such that redundant and
unnecessary requirements and constraints are avoided in favor of limits that ensure the
necessary and required emissions performance, and the associated demonstration of
compliance in a manner that is practically enforceable. Redundant and unnecessary
limits can include:
Overlapping emissions performance limits (and associated recordkeeping), where
one limit is more stringent. A RACT limit that applies to a source with a BACT
limit would be such an example. In such an instance, the less constraining
provisions (i.e., RACT) can be eliminated while retaining the more stringent
provisions (i.e., BACT) to demonstrate compliance with both requirements.
Limits on individual units that can be combined into a single multi-unit limit on
emissions.
Limits on operational conditions (hours of operation, unit throughput) of sources
that have practically enforceable emissions limits that make the operational limits
unnecessary.
Limits with various time intervals (hourly, daily, monthly, annual) when fewer
intervals will address all substantive concerns.
Streamlining can also be used to pre-approve certain types of source changes in the
context of both NSR and Title V, thereby eliminating delays and paperwork at a later
time that will yield the same environmental outcome.
Applicability:
Streamlining can be applied in the creation of new source permits, the incorporation of
old NSR permit conditions into Title V permits, and the renewal of Title V permits. The
key benefit of permit streamlining is the elimination of administrative burdens on agency
and source personnel where recordkeeping, reporting, and permit amendment processing
have no discernable environmental benefits. The reduced burden in turn makes air
compliance more efficient for all parties, it can free up agency staff for more valuable
activities, and it allows source owners to make operational changes more quickly in
instances where the permitting review yields no environmental benefits.
Implementation Experience:
Streamlining has been used to a limited extent at both the state and federal levels over the
last ten years with good success. EPA approved streamlining of overlapping emissions
limits, wherein one is more stringent than the other, in the context of a Title V white
paper. PALs, XL permits and flexible permit initiatives have all included some degree of
permit streamlining to avoid administrative burdens that have no discernable
environmental benefits. Michigan is one example that has recently started a program to
develop streamlined permits on a case by case basis.
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
1
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Permit Streamlining
Streamlining of conditions, as a philosophy of regulation can be applied to any emissions
regulations or rules, not just permitting. For example, NSPS, RACT, and MACT rules
could all be created or revised to address and eliminate or streamline recordkeeping,
reporting and emission limits that are unnecessarily constraining or burdensome.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
a. Environmental benefits and disbenefits
When done carefully, permit streamlining should have no environmental disbenefit.
The idea is to eliminate requirements that have no benefit. In some instances,
streamlining may make it easier to reduce emissions further but the program should
not carry with it a requirement that emissions be reduced further than otherwise
expected.
b. Economic impacts
Very large economic benefits will occur: administrative costs for government and
industry will be reduced, frivolous enforcement activities can be avoided, and
process changes can be affected more quickly.
c. Time
Streamlining does require an upfront investment in the crafting of permit conditions
but the return on that investment will exceed the time spent at the outset.
d. Ease of monitoring and accountability
Carefully crafted streamlined conditions will be easily monitored and reported.
Streamlined conditions mean less monitoring, reporting and oversight of
requirements that have no benefits. Agencies and source operators have found
streamlined permits easier to enforce.
e. Jurisdictional attributes
Streamlining can be of greatest benefit to state and local agencies in terms of
workload and paperwork,
f. Would tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
No.
g. Replicabilitv
While most streamlining to date has been done on a case by case basis, there is
significant commonality. Guidance could be developed that will provide
replicablity.
h. Impacts on personal choice and quality of life
Positive impacts will occur for the agency personnel and the source owners. No
impacts on community members are expected.
i. Benefits and disbenefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
No direct effects, although streamlining can be an incentive to eliminate the use of
incinerators where compliance can be achieved through pollution prevention.
2
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AQM Strategy Paper on Retrofits
The primary focus of retrofits so far have been over the road heavy-duty trucks due to
their long life and the multiple engine rebuilds these vehicles have during their useful
life. These retrofits may be converting engines to an alternative fuel, putting additional
controls on an existing engine or replacing the existing engine with a new, cleaner
engine.1
Those efforts should continue and be expanded, where possible, using whatever funds are
available at the Federal or State level.
Other vehicles that might be considered for retrofit include:
Airport vehicles (convert to cleaner fuels, retrofit, or replace with electric)
Off road equipment (locomotives, construction equipment, marine vessels,
forklifts, etc.)
Stationary sources (back-up generators, agricultural irrigation pumps)
Below is a chart from the Carl Moyer program in CA on the tons of NOx and PM
reduced and the NOx cost-effectiveness. While the absolute numbers would not apply to
other states, the relative larger gains from certain sectors might be helpful in targeting
certain sources.
NOx and PMio Emission Reductions
And Cost-Effectiveness (NOx)a
(Years 1-4)
Source Category/
Total NOx Reduced
Total PM Reduced
NOx Weighted
Equipment Type
(tons/year)
(tons/year)
Average Cost-
effectiveness
On-Road
Line Haul
183
6.6
$4,500
Refuse Hauler
500
15.8
4,800
Transit Bus
503
32.5
2,300
School Bus
4
0.3
7,200
Other
143
5.7
4,400
1 The Carl Moyer program funded about 4,950 cleaner engines. This includes over 2,080 alternative-
fueled vehicles, especially transit buses and refuse trucks. The program has also replaced nearly 2,870
older diesel engines with new, cleaner diesel engines, primarily in marine vessels, off-road equipment and
agricultural irrigation pumps.
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Off-Road
Agriculture
43
6.4
4,600
Construction
190
15.9
4,400
Other
62
6.1
4,400
Ag Pumps
1,910
92.2
2,500
Locomotives
44
5.0
2,600
Fork Lifts
162
0.0
3,600
Marine Vessels
907
48.9
1,800
Total NOx/PM
4651
235.4
a. Based on projects funded or with grant commitments. Approximately $9 million
of Year 4 remains to be committed.
Other Factors
The advent of low sulfur diesel fuel being available in 2006 will enable some of these
retrofit technologies to function better in the exhaust stream.
There are number of issues related to diesel use and restrictions on use time, or location
which also can serve to reduce emissions, but they are not addressed here in this retrofit
paper.
Funding
If no source of Federal funding is available, these programs could be funded by the
creative use of fees from exempting certain newer cars from the Inspection and
Maintenance program in the state, as outlined in the document the Alliance forwarded to
the committee (Gregg Cooke's financial incentives group).
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Incentives for Self-Certification
Sharon Kneiss
January 20, 2006
Incentives for Self-Certification
Enforcement-related regulatory burdens such as reporting and inspection frequencies and
penalty exposure should be further reduced for firms with superior compliance
determination procedures.
Applicability:
Probably more applicable to major sources with complex emissions profiles than to
smaller sources. However, it could be appropriate and beneficial for sources of any size.
Such a reform would encourage improved company compliance procedures, which is by
far the best method of assuring compliance. It would also allow governments to use their
scarce enforcement resources where they could provide the greatest environmental
improvement.
Implementation Experience:
EPA's audit policy represents a highly successful and well established application of this
approach to reducing both penalties and the number of routine inspections. EPA's
Performance Track Program has taken a very few steps toward reducing reporting
burdens, for covered sources only. See 69 Fed. Reg. 21737 (April 22, 2004).
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
Much more could be done to reduce routine reporting requirements for companies
with superior compliance determination procedures.
The government could accept the determination of qualified third party audit
firms as proof of superior compliance procedures, analogous to the use of
accounting firms to certify financial statements. That would relieve the
government of the resource drain of company by company certification, and
encourage the spread of improved compliance procedures.
At present, violations detected by legally required monitoring are not eligible for
the penalty reduction aspects of the audit policy. Reduction of such penalties
could be allowed for companies with superior compliance determination
procedures.
The audit policy does not currently allow any reduction of the "economic benefit"
aspect of penalties. Such a reduction could be allowed for companies with
superior compliance determination procedures.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
a. Environmental benefits and disbenefits
This tool would reduce emissions by improving compliance. (It would be
inappropriate to require additional emissions reductions, as some have
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suggested, before companies with superior compliance procedures could
qualify for this relief.) This tool would also free enforcement resources for
higher-priority uses, and encourage the development and spread of better
compliance determination procedures.
Economic impacts
Beneficial. Firms would not adopt this approach unless they saw such
benefits, and it would save government resources as well.
Time
Could be implemented relatively quickly
Ease of monitoring and accountability
No special problems.
Jurisdictional attributes
Could be implemented at any jurisdictional level. As always, a coordinated
State-federal approach would be desirable.
Would tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
No.
Replicabilitv
Highly replicable from jurisdiction to jurisdiction
Impacts on personal choice and quality of life
No adverse impacts.
Benefits and disbenefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
None.
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Source Specific Emission Limit Agreements
Sharon Kneiss
January 20, 2006
Source Specific Emission Limit Adjustments:
Sources should be allowed to apply to their permitting authority for adjustments
in the applicable "package" of emissions limitations. The permitting authority
could approve those adjustments upon finding that the new package would
produce greater social benefits and at least equal environmental benefits when
compared to compliance with the original set of limits.
Applicability:
Primarily to major sources of air pollution. Such sources generally have multiple
emission limits, which were often set without considering particular
circumstances. Often, adjustments in those limits based on site-specific factors
can improve environmental results, reduce costs, and produce other social
benefits.
Implementation Experience:
EPA's Project XL was based on a similar approach. Despite some successes, the
program as a whole fell far short of the expected results. [Note to reviewers: Are
there other jurisdictions where this has worked better? A counter-example
would help a lot]
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
A new and more promising approach would correct the defects of Project XL. Two in
particular stand out:
The process for approving alternative approaches should be streamlined.
The Project XL requirement that alternative approaches always produce greater
direct environmental benefits than the original approach should be relaxed.
Alternatives that (for example) achieve the same results at lesser cost should also
be encouraged, since they will encourage future environmental improvement by
reducing its cost.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
a. Environmental benefits and disbenefits
Since equal environmental benefits would be a minimum requirement, this
approach would be environmentally beneficial.
b. Economic impacts
Since sources themselves would apply for this relief, we can assume that
granting it would result in cost savings.
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c. Time
Any such approach would need to provide for timely processing and
decision. This has been an issue in the past.
d. Ease of monitoring and accountability
Each new approach would have to provide for monitoring at least as accurate
as the monitoring in the formerly applicable requirements. The frequency
and type of monitoring may be adjust to focus on the highest priority
emissions.
e. Jurisdictional attributes
Such relief would require EPA consent case by case. Alternatively, EPA
could empower states to undertake such actions following established
guidelines and criteria.
f. Would tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
This new approach would definitely benefit from express Clean Air Act
authorization. However, the new sets of requirements could also workably
be incorporated in consent decrees or enforcement agreements.
g. Replicabilitv
Although this approach is inherently case by case, one successful example
could reinforce another, potentially changing the regulatory framework for
an industrial sector or process.
h. Impacts on personal choice and quality of life
None
i. Benefits and disbenefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
Energy efficiency and carbon free alternative energy projects would be
encouraged by this approach. Sources generally place a high priority on such
projects, while EPA regulations as currently drafted often discourage them.
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Privatization
Privatization
Patty Strabbing
February 20, 2006
Brief Description of Tool:
Privatization is the outsourcing of certain air agency activities to private companies.
Applicability:
In theory, all of the air agency services and activities could be conducted by contractors.
However, the need for oversight by a government employee, avoiding conflicts of interest
and the setting of policies create a number of practical constraints. Privatization makes
the most sense when used to address one-time, discrete assignments and instances where
the work involves technical analysis or information gathering or management rather than
decisions by an agency.
Implementation Experience:
There is a long history of EPA and state air agencies relying upon contractors to complete
individual technical assignments, such as emission control technology surveys or
economic impact analyses in support of rule development. For example, much of the
technical work on the MACT standards was carried out by contractors under the direction
of EPA staff. This has been a long standing, accepted practice. In addition, routine
inspections and audits, and review of reports are some of the others kinds of activities
that have been contracted out. An example of a routine inspection would be taking fuel
samples at a terminal or gas station, conducting screening tests on site, and shipping any
samples for further screening to the EPA lab. To a lesser extent, permitting services have
been contracted. We are not aware of any formal assessment of the effectiveness and
relative cost of contractors doing basic permitting activities. (Can an AQM work group
reviewer give us information on how well this has worked in practice?)
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
One option that has been considered from time to time is providing an option for a permit
applicant to pay a supplemental fee for a contractor to expedite the permit application
review. (Can an AQM work group reviewer tell us if they have had experience with this
and how well it worked?) In some instances, the discussion of this alternative has led to a
wholesale review and streamlining of permitting for all parties rather than requiring a
payment and using contractors for only a few applications.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
a. Environmental benefits and disbenefits
If contracting speeds up the implementation of air programs, one can assume that air
emissions reductions could occur more quickly than they would have in the absence
of contracted work. On the other hand, the use of contractors does not ensure
benefits. If for some reason the contractor is not able to be as effective as
government employees, completion of work could slow down and benefits lost.
b. Economic impacts
We do not know if contracting is cheaper than completing the same work with
government employees. If emissions sources must pay contractor fees directly, their
costs may rise significantly.
c. Time
1
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Privatization
This approach could be implemented in a year's time.
d. Ease of monitoring and accountability
Contracting places the appropriate decision makers in government, however it may be
harder for the agencies to have a true sense of understanding of day to day activities
as well as perhaps difficulty in ensuring the day to day effectiveness of the program.
From that perspective, monitoring and accountability are more difficult.
e. Jurisdictional attributes
No specific attributes have been identified. This could be done at any level. We
know of no EPA prohibition on privatization of state and local air agency
responsibilities.
f. Would tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
No.
g. Replicabilitv
It should be easy to duplicate any practices unless there are state or local laws that
preclude contracting. Budgeting for contractors will be a separate impediment to
replication.
h. Impacts on personal choice and quality of life
No direct effect. Could make the quality of life of agency personnel better or worse.
Either way, their roles will shift to "managers".
i. Benefits and disbenefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
None identified.
2
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Targeted Strategies
Pam Giblin
February 22, 2006
Brief Description of Tool:
What is the tool/strategy and how does it work to reduce emissions?
Targeted measures reducing specific chemical compounds tied to air quality
problems in urban or industrial airsheds. Using a growing body of ambient air
quality data collected by aircraft as well as traditional fixed monitoring, discrete
chemical compounds can be identifed as playing a unique role in persistent air
quality problems (e.g., high monitored ozone) within an airshed or within a
specific airshed segment. Such persisent air quality problems may not be
responsive to across-the-board precursor reductions. If discrete chemical
compounds are linked to controllable point sources, control measures can be
tailored to reduce both their long-term (annual) and short-term (hourly)
emissions. The long-term controls can take the form of a market-based
structure such as an allowance cap-and-trade. Refined modeling can replicate
the ozone-reducing effect of such measures, and can support substitution of
targeted measures for across-the-board precursor reductions with a higher cost
and lesser air quality benefit.
Applicability:
What areas and/or sources and types of emissions the tool primarily addresses?
A successful example of such measures addresses industrial point sources.
However, other source categories might be targeted in future examples.
What needs and problems does it address?
The tool addresses the problem of ever-greater emissions reductions needed to
meet air quality goals in light of more challenging air quality standards and
attainment deadlines. Scientific studies of ozone formation, for example,
suggest that not all precursor reductions are equal. Rather than focusing
exclusively on an across-the-board percentage precursor reduction, to which a
modeled ozone exceedance may not be responsive, targeted measures allow SIP
planners to focus targeted strategies on persistent air quality problems. Such
targeting can be on a specific type of air quality event across multiple monitors
(e.g., "spike" ozone events) or on a monitor-by-monitor basis. Multiple
strategies may be appropriate where the analysis shows different causes for
different air quality problems within a single airshed
Implementation Experience:
Examples of how the tool/strategy may have been applied/implemented in
particular jurisdictions, including results and any lessons learned
HOU03:1055099.1
1
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A suite of Highly-Reactive VOC Control Rules in the one-hour
Houston/Galveston/Brazoria ozone attainment demonstration SIP have played
a central role in substantial ozone reductions measured in the airshed, and
show even greater benefits in preliminary modeling of 8-hour attainment.
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues:
Other applications or ways of implementing the tool/strategy that have the
potential to achieve new/additional emission reductions from what has been
achieved before or in other areas
Ozone andfine particulate are, in part, atmospheric reaction products.
Ongoing air quality studies continue to identify reactivity associated with
chemical compounds emitted by all source categories that serve both as
precursors or reactants and as catalysts or promoters of ozone or fine
particulate formation in the atmosphere. The Houston HRVOC program
focuses on industrial light olefin emissions (ethylene, propylene, butadiene,
butenes). Further studies in Houston and other airsheds may yield similar
families of compounds that can be controlled with a targeted strategy.
For each new/additional application, outline the pros and cons and any barriers
that may exist to implementation for that application
Some key chemical compounds of concern are emitted by biogenic sources or
other sources for which targeted reduction strategies are more difficult.
Outline of Tool Attributes:
For each tool/application, provide the estimated or assumed attributes for each of the
following:
a. Environmental benefits and disbenefits
Environmental goals are better advanced by measures that target and
reduce the most persistent air quality problems.
b. Economic impacts
Economic impact can be more effectively managed where an equal or
greater air quality outcome is attained by substitution of better-targeted
measures instead of greater across-the-board reductions
c. Time
Implementation of targeted measures is comparable to incremental
increases in overall emissions mandates
d. Ease of monitoring and accountability
Compliance demonstration provisions are built into the measure such that
equal or greater accountability is obtained than is achieved under a
traditional across-the-board reduction approach
e. Jurisdictional attributes
HOU03:1055099.1
2
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State, federal and local jurisdictions must cooperate to achieve success.
Depending on the nature of the affected source category, one of those
jurisdictions will be vested with primary authority. Typically, EPA-
approved state rules are the vehicle for targeted measures.
f. Would tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
No.
g. Replicability
Measures can be targeted to persistent air quality problems in any airshed
Greater or lesser success can be expected depending on the nature of the
source and the existing regulatory tools to craft a reduction strategy.
h. Impacts on personal choice and quality of life
Strategies can be targeted to achieve the greatest balance of air quality,
economic and quality of life outcomes.
i. Benefits and disbenefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
Targeted measures could be developed to address these resources.
However, focus in this example is on ozone reductions in urban or
industrial nonattainment areas.
HOU03:1055099.1
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~ Draft ~
Emission Limits Tool
Dan Johnson
January 27, 2006
Brief Description of Tool
Emission limits prescribe the maximum amount of an air pollutant a source or
category of sources may emit, in terms of either mass or concentration. Emission
limits are generally established in regulations, and must be achieved by a date
specified in the regulation, or when the source is constructed unless a more stringent
emission limit is required by an applicable BACT or LAER.
Applicability
Emission limits are best suited for discrete emissions sources, where compliance with
the limits may be determined through source sampling. Conversely, regulations that
apply to area sources - for example, dust from construction activities - typically
prescribe operational practices that are presumed to limit emissions, but since the
actual mass or concentration of emissions would be difficult to quantify, specifying
emission limits would not be appropriate. Emission limits may be used to establish
and require implementation of state-of-the-art emission controls, and, when used in
conjunction with operating limits, restrict the impact of the source on air quality.
Implementation Experience
Emission limits have been used throughout the history of air quality management,
with significant success. The tool is especially effective when used to address discrete
air pollution sources with easy to measure emissions. Though often used in these
applications, the emission limits tool is less effective at addressing emissions from
many small sources, sources where emissions are hard to measure (for example,
particulates from conveyor belts and fugitive emissions from leaking valves and
seals), and for processes that may change frequently, such as chemical processing
facilities where emission characteristics may change with each new product
produced.
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues
The emission limits tool has been used extensively for over 35 years. Few, if any,
significant new implementation options are expected in the coming years.
Evaluation of Tool Attributes
A. Environmental benefits and dis-benefits
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Emission limits result in either direct air quality improvements (when applied
to existing sources) or limit the amount of air quality degradation from a
source or source category (when applied to new sources).
B. Economic impacts
Setting emission limits is typically governed by rules and procedures that
stipulate the manner in which economic impacts are to be considered. If
applied uniformly to all emission sources, the governing rules would limit
disproportionate economic impact between sources and sources categories.
C. Time
Once established, emission limits can be implemented over whatever
timeframe is needed to balance air quality improvement needs with the
economic burden of compliance.
D. Ease of monitoring and accountability
In general, the emission limit tool should not be used unless compliance can
be determined through monitoring and/or accounting. Emission test methods
can be easy and straightforward, or complex and costly. Alternative test
methods (for example, measuring surrogate parameters to deduce emission
rates) can be used in some applications to simplify monitoring.
E. Jurisdictional attributes
EPA may set emission limits to be applied nationwide, while state and local
agencies may set emission limits that apply within their jurisdictions.
Regional organizations have no authority to set emission limits, unless an
inter-jurisdictional compact has been signed by leaders of the respective
jurisdictions.
F. Would the tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
No
G. Replicability
Emission limits are easily replicated from one jurisdiction to the next.
H. Impact on personal choice and quality of life
Emission limits are not typically used in applications that would directly
impact personal choice or quality of life.
I. Benefits and dis-benefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse emissions
Emission limits that are established using procedures that require
consideration of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions may result in
benefits in either or both areas. If such procedures are not built into the
process, an emission limit could result in energy and/or greenhouse gas dis-
benefits.
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Work Practice Standards
Dan Johnson
May 11, 2006
Brief Description of Tool
Work practice standards are performance- or operation-based measures that, when
implemented, will reduce air pollutants.
Applicability
Work practice standards are typically used in lieu of emission limits when sources of
emissions cannot be measured (i.e., there is no discrete source of emissions, such as a
smokestack or outlet to an emission control device) or when there are so many
emission sources that source sampling would be impractical.
Implementation Experience
Work practice standards can be an effective approach at reducing emissions. For
example, cattle feedlots can be a very significant source of particulate emissions,
especially in arid regions. There are no emission control devices that could be used to
reduce these emissions, and it would be impractical to measure emissions from the
feedlot using standard source sampling techniques. There are, however, a number of
management practices that studies have shown are effective at reducing emissions
from feedlots. For example, cross-fencing is used to restrict the animals to confined
areas. The animal wastes in this confined area are sufficient to suppress dust
emissions. In this example, installing and operating the feedlot using cross-fencing
could be considered a work practice standard.
New/Additional Implementation Options and Issues
The work practice standard tool has been used extensively for many years. Few, if
any, significant new implementation options are expected in the coming years.
Evaluation of Tool Attributes
A. Environmental benefits and dis-benefits
Work practice standards result in either direct air quality improvements (when
applied to existing sources) or limit the amount of air quality degradation from
a source or source category (when applied to new sources).
B. Economic impacts
The establishment of a work practice standard is typically governed by rules
and procedures that stipulate the manner in which economic impacts are to be
considered. If applied uniformly to all emission sources, the governing rules
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would limit disproportionate economic impact between sources and sources
categories.
C. Time
Once established, work practice standards can be implemented over whatever
timeframe is needed to balance air quality improvement needs with the
economic burden of compliance.
D. Ease of monitoring and accountability
Work practice standards should only be required in situations where the
practice can be monitored and verified. Emissions will not be reduced unless
the measures are implemented.
E. Jurisdictional attributes
EPA may establish work practice standards to be applied nationwide (for
example, the dry cleaner MACT), while state and local agencies may establish
work practice standards that apply within their jurisdictions. Regional
organizations have no authority to establish work practice standards, unless an
inter-jurisdictional compact has been signed by leaders of the respective
jurisdictions. Work practice standards are established in some industries to
address issues specific to the industry, often resulting in air quality benefits
(for example, best management practices in agriculture and measures to
improve energy efficiency).
F. Would the tool/strategy require CAA amendment?
No
G. Replicability
Most work practice standards are easily replicated from one jurisdiction to the
next.
H. Impact on personal choice and quality of life
While some work practice standards may directly impact personal choice,
others do not. For example, prohibiting the use of gasoline powered
lawnmowers to certain days, or restricting their use to specific hours of a day
limits personal choice, while requiring cross fencing at a feedlot has no impact
on personal choice.
I. Benefits and dis-benefits on energy efficiency and greenhouse emissions
Work practice standards may be established specifically for energy efficiency
and/or to limit greenhouse gas emissions, with air quality as a secondary
benefit, or may be established specifically to reduce emissions, in which case
the energy and greenhouse gas impacts should be evaluated to avoid dis-
benefits.
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AQM - Next Steps/Schedule... (June 22, 2006)
June 27-28 ~ Subcommittee will meet (Atlanta, GA) to discuss key
recommendations, AQM Challenges summary, and the integration of the
recommendations for the final report.
July - Drafting team convenes to develop integrated approach to improving
the AQM system and initiates work on report.
August 1-2 - Subcommittee meeting (Denver, CO) to discuss an integrated
approach to improving the AQM system and draft report.
September 12 The Subcommittee will meet in advance of the CAAAC
meeting (September 13-14 in Washington, DC). The Subcommittee will
finalize the draft report language. The CAAAC will receive a Phase 1 update
and short update on Phase 2 at its meeting.
October 17-18 - The Subcommittee will meet to agree on the final report.
November 15 - Subcommittee delivers report to CAAAC for review prior to
November meeting.
December 6-7 -, The Subcommittee formally presents report to the CAAAC
(Washington, DC).
December 30 - Comments from CAAAC will be accepted and appended to
the final report.
January 17 - Final report delivered to EPA via CAAAC.
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